Dead To Me - Little Brother

Artist: Dead To Me

Album: Little Brother

Label: Fat Wreck Chords

Since the late 90's, "pop-punk" has taken on more than one meaning.  On the one hand, there's the simple riffs and minimalist style that defines Ramones style pop-punk, kept alive today by bands like The Copyrights and The Methadones.  But on the other hand, there's the punk that started in the mid 90's defined by New Found Glory whinny styled vocals, later evolving into today's Falloutboy and Panic At the Disco.  Generally speaking, fans of the Falloutboys find minimalist punk "too boring," while fans of minimalist punk find the legions of Falloutboys "too poppy."  Occasionally a band comes along that meshes both styles together and finds acceptance in both traditionally opposed camps.  San Francisco's Dead To Me is one of those bands.  

I can best describe Dead To Me as a pop-punk band that keeps its riffs simple, adds a few flourishes from song to song, and remains memorable thanks to Jack Dalrymple's slurred but understandable vocals.  Their latest release, the five song EP Little Brother, follows their favourably received 2006 debut.  The first two songs clock in under two and a half minutes, delving into the meat of the tracks without as much as an introduction.  While both claim the title of the simplest songs on the album, they are uncharacteristically lackluster.  Both songs blend together, sharing an identical tempo and song structure, making them almost indistinguishable from one another.  Sometimes I even forgot where one started and the other ended - an issue I never ran into in their 2006 debut, Cuban Ballerina.  Fortunately, the third song introduces a much needed sense of diversity, as well as a few new tricks.  The title track, Little Brother, starts with an uncharacteristically slow tempo and eventually introduces a catchy ska-inspired upstroke that feels right at home in Dead To Me's upbeat sound.  Thanks to catchier choruses and hooks, the final two songs feel more memorable than the first couple, allowing the short 14 minute EP to end on a high note.

Despite a less than memorable start, Dead to Me's followup effort shows a band staying true to the unique style that makes them appreciable by fans of various schools of pop-punk.  Little Brother also shows also a band not afraid to experiment with that same winning formula.  Rejoice pop-punk fans, this one's a keeper.