What happens when Erie hardcore glory begins to fade? Well in the case of bands like Digression and Shockwave the answer is start one of the best west coast style poppy punk bands to be heard in a long while. That’s exactly what did happen, ex Erie hardcore heroes got together to form The Good Guys. This Erie quartet of the late nineties hardcore fallout blasts into the new millennium with a high powered, energetic, three chord melodic thrill ride which is their newest self-titled release.

To capture that west coast flavor of punk rock made famous by bands like the Descendents, Operation Ivy, Green Day, Face to Face, and the Offspring, there are a few essential keys to make it work. Energy, fast paced three chord riffs with lots of hooks, snotty attitude, and catchy choruses complete with repetitive "o - o’s", are the necessary ingredients. The Good Guys have all of these plus the talent and desire to play good tight music.

This CD is only a short eight tracks that take only a little over 15 minutes to get through, but it’s one of the most enjoyable 15 minutes you’ll ever have. Pop it in, turn it up all the way, and pogo around your living room, this record is perfect for doing just that.
The Good Guys are Dave Angelotti on drums, Mike Schwenk on vocals, Joe Nolan on guitar and Klins on bass. These four guys are all very talented musicians and more importantly all ready to rock. They sing about girls, angst, frustration, and the struggle of becoming an adult even when you don’t want to. Dave’s drums are explosive with lots of quick changes and fills. Joe’s guitar work uses aggressive power chords, pick slides, catchy-bluesy harmonies and solos to bring big sound to the band. Klins’ bass is fast and slappy and very punk and Mike’s vocals are melodic, scratchy, and very accessible. It’s hard to review this CD because it speaks for itself when heard. Words have trouble expressing the feeling this record gives the listener, so everyone should check it out.

The CD opens with "Guy like Me", a girl song that flies along like a jet fighter leaving the deck with super fast drums, crunching power chords and catchy lyrics. That same thing could and does describe all of their songs, but this song opens the CD well because it’s a sample of what’s to come. The next song "Long Road Home" is an Offspring like track with a lot of cymbals, bass breakdowns and lightning riffs about getting stuck in a rut and how to get out of it. The third song "Cold Shoulder" is one of the best songs on the album. Its very much Descendants influenced as it has melodic and technical guitar playing, really catchy lyrics, and west coast bass and drum lines that hold the whole thing together. The fourth song sounds a lot like the band All and brings up the topic violence towards women. It shows that The Good Guys aren’t just dealing with light issues and have a social conscience. The disc continues on in very much the same way all the way to the end with fast, punchy, power pop that is infectious to listen to. Number six "Chuck Berry" is a great track with a Chuck Berry influenced guitar intro and solos and the best singing on the whole CD. The last song is "Never Again" and ends the record well with its sing along "o-o’s" and crashing drums. It’s very addictive.

It’s hard to say what the best song is because they are all excellent. All that can and should be said is its fun, fast, and a great time. The best thing to do is to check them out and get this CD.

Also, check out artists2.iuma.com/IUMA/Bands/the_good_guys for mp3’s and other info. This CD is a well spent 15 minutes with a great band.- review by Alex Harrilla

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