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 Caught in the Carousel "There will be music despite everything"
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Classics of Love
Walking in the Shadows EP
Asian Man
Ringing with truth, fire and an undeniable velocity, Classics Of Love's debut EP is perhaps the most energizing release of the year. In his third decade playing punk rock, former Operation Ivy singer Jesse Michaels has emerged not as an elder statesman (because elder statesmen are old and wear ascots, drink weird wines and want to tell you all about their stupid travels—"Ahh, she was a rare flower, the cliffs took my breath away the night was truly ours, and in spite of what they tell you, my boy, gonorrhea is only a tad inconvenient and more than slightly painful") but a vital voice of experience that's still hurtling through life with all the force and vitality that, when captured in the studio, sounds positively invigorating. Flanked by a rhythm section of young guns, Michaels hits the ground running, tearing into the speedbag punk of "Countdown." From there the pace never lets up: "Slow Car Crash" has a focused intensity; "Don't Stand Down" is tough and gritty but features a melodic call and response and the catchy bombast of "Time Flies" showcases the fast sticks of drummer Max Feshbach. Later, "No Return" blazes away and the muscular title track, which closes these proceedings, finds Michaels trying to "avoid the killing fall." This album is so alive and vibrating with spirit, he's got nothing to worry about.
—Alex Green
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