Various Artists--The New Crazy

Deep Elm Records boasts a healthy roster of punk-pop and emo acts that they rightfully like to show off now and again, and so here we are again. The New Crazy is Deep Elm’s 2005 sampler, featuring acts like Fightstar, Latterman, Sounds Like Violence, and Slowride. Latterman kicks off the release with the explosive "Doom! Doom! Doom!," which leads into Fightstar’s mega-hit "Palahniuk’s Laughter" which is probably the best track on the sampler. "Nothing" by Sounds Like Violence gives Fightstar a run for their money, with modestly well-written riffs that come off much more powerful than the previous tracks’ loud and in-your-face instrumentals. From there we get mixed up in some acoustic emo from the likes of Secondhand Stories that isn’t bad, but my finger itches to skip ahead and see what other treasures the compilation has in store. Burns Out Bright’s "Sincerely I" deserves mentioning for some interesting guitar riffs, but they lose me with their vocals. Long Island rockers Latterman make another appearance before Clair De Lune’s fast-tongued "Killjoy," an odd mix of rap vocals, punk riffs, and an emo chorus. "Rust Killer" by Slowride features a great guitar intro and mature chorus, mixed with some great vocals. The release gets a strong finish from The Appleseed Cast in " Steps and Numbers," a well-paced and not-too-weepy downcast tune. I realize I’m just rattling off songs here, so just a blanket statement: If you like emo / punk / or post-punk, check out what Deep Elm Records has to offer you. Fightstar, Latterman, and Sounds Like Violence are good places to start. Go forth now, and consume the punk!

(Published at MusicEmissions.com)