This six-track EP is like a blast to the past, heading straight back to the great Drive Thru Records pop-punk invasion of 2002/3. Like The Starting Line‘s first EP? Then welcome Last Letter Read into your list of new favourite bands. This is pure and simple pop-punk energy, lots of bounce and lots of good times, music to put a smile on your face. While the hooks aren’t quite as big as those of Kenny Vasoli and co, in places LLR really do sound like the real deal – and with a recent tour with MC Lars under their belt, they’re clearly heading in the right direction.
‘Ex-Girlfriends don’t make best friends’ not only sums up the band’s style, but it’s also a genuinely good song, there’s a really catchy chorus and the band can clearly write a good tune. It’s something they do consistently well and while they fail to re-write the musical rulebook, tracks like the Simple Plan-esque ‘Week North of Home’ are very, very catchy. Heavily influenced by their American soundalikes, Last Letter Read are a decent prospect and ones to watch in 2008.