Sound The Alarm CD

Back in the '70s, a band like Sound the Alarm (formerly Sleepwell) would have been considered a major contradiction. They're exuberant, hard-rocking, and punk-minded, but they are also very introspective. They don't sound introspective -- someone who doesn't speak a word of English and could only go by the music itself (without weighing the lyrics) probably wouldn't think of this self-titled, 23-minute EP as introspective. But Sound the Alarm is among the many alternative pop/rock/punk-pop/emo units of the '90s and 2000s that combines loud guitars and amplified drums with introspective lyrics -- and that is certainly a big departure from the days when punk bands generally sang about fighting the power, supporting the Sandinistas, or getting laid (or all of the above). In the '70s, introspection was for Joni Mitchell, Janis Ian, and Judy Collins -- or Stan Getz and Chet Baker -- not the Ramones, the Clash, or the Dickies. But Nirvana and Pearl Jam rewrote a lot of rules in the early '90s -- and emo was among the beneficiaries even though it doesn't sound like grunge. Sound the Alarm's EP isn't groundbreaking -- numerous other bands have done this type of thing -- but it isn't bad. The Pennsylvania residents have an attractive sound, and their lyrics are generally decent. This EP (or MCD, if you prefer) doesn't favor the cutesier, geekier side of emo; while some emo comes from the perspective of a self-deprecating, dysfunctional adolescent nerdboy, tracks like "Cutting Deep" and "Fools and Thieves" have a more adult outlook -- adult as in early twenties, but adult nonetheless. Again, anyone looking for a lot of originality won't find it here, although there are more pluses than minuses on this likable but derivative effort. ~ Alex Henderson

Recording information: Pilot Studios.

Personnel: Joe Brule (vocals, guitar); Cody Jancovic (vocals); Brian Chiusano (guitar); Rick Stephans (drums).

Audio Mixer: Rob Freeman.