Bloody Valentine.” In a side-by-side comparison, only the pickiest, hardest-to-please fans of those major label bands could find any fault with Post Season’s loud, slick, and radio-friendly songs.

 

The near-simultaneous release of their studio-recorded Hollowed Out Hearts EP and their appropriately-titled Sometimes We Play Acoustic EP showcase the musicians’ skills with their instruments, lyricism, and performance. The fact that these guys sound similar to mainstream acts doesn’t detract from the enjoyment a pop punk fan can take from these two collections. Hollowed Out Hearts covers familiar sonic ground that you’ve heard before; the music you tap your toes to, bounced up and down to, and screamed the lyrics to.

 

Sometimes We Play Acoustic does the same, without any electronic enhancement or distortion. The only shared tune between the two EPs is “Picture Frame Eyes,” a short ditty about someone who has had a rough day followed by a night of bemoaning the state of their relationship. The tune is catchy as hell, and can easily (after muting out the F-bomb in the opening line) be released as a single to any radio station that already plays Blink-182, Sum 41, or Green Day. The song never really explains the reason behind its title, but the phrase fits the ditty, entering the same lyrical realm as the Beatles’ “girl with kaleidoscope eyes” or the Cult’s “plastic fantastic lobster telephone.” They’re all meaningless words that sound good together. Duran Duran built a career on this, so Post Season is in good company. After I downloaded the tracks, both the electric and acoustic versions of “Picture Frame Eyes” played back-to-back. Even though the Altoona five-piece can indeed play acoustic very well, I’m quite partial to the “power” in “power pop punk.” I’m just glad there isn’t a “power ballad” amongst the two collections.

 

The fact that Post Season sounds very similar to other pop punk bands presents some difficulty for the listener as well as the reviewer. What can really be said about these guys that I haven’t already said? Their YouTube channel features the songs paired with a static image, so there’s little that can be said for their stage presence, or how pretty they are compared to the bands famous for black eyeliner and boyish good looks. The songs are original, but not very musically innovative. The major aspect Post Season offers is more maturity in the lyrics, emphasizing traditional relationship themes rather than the more teenage angst fantasy stylings Good Charlotte and My Chemical Romance offer. Other than that, if you like pop punk, check these guys out. I’m a fan, so these guys are going to stay in my personal rotation for a while.