Category:
Punk

Try if you like:
Bad Religion, Belvedere, Bracket, Chixdiggit!

When Belvedere announced their split, Calgary punk scene (and Canada for that matter) had taken a blow. By 2006 Steve and Graham had hooked up with John from Ottawa's Forty Cent Fix and This Is A Standoff was born. Corey from Deville joined the band a little while later to round out the line-up.  Earlier this year the band hit the studio to create Be Excited and excited I am.

So you would expect the Belvedere comparison but does This Is A Standoff add anything to the mix? Not a lot but these guys are seasoned veterans and that is easily heard on this melodic album. The songs have hooks and killer guitar riffs with melody first on the list followed by speed. 

Be Excited opens with a flurry of activity on "Better Than All Of Us". If you make it through this song and feel that "Oh yeah! These guys rock!" then carry on because the best is yet to come. They take a huge nod from Bad Religion, working with their fast pace and melody. Even on the second track, "You Won't Pass" has a big BR feel with the back-up vocals. I love the stop/start of "Underwater", it seems to add to the energy that this band has. When I hear "Climb the Ladder" I can't help but think it would be suitable fare for a good rock station, catchy punk with hooks galore.

So if you are into melodic punk then This Is A Standoff will fit perfectly next to your Chixdiggit! albums. Be Excited is a strong album with a lot of killer songs. Nothing really super-new here, just some great punk musicians writing some great songs.