Feedback Is Payback

Specializing in the kind of clear-voiced punk rock brought to the mainstream by the Offspring, 1208 creates memorable punk rock anthems. Their obvious enthusiasm and talent make this album stand above many of the other punk rock offerings that have come out around the same time. Songs like "Jimmy" and "Pick Your Poison" are simple pop-punk songs that lean toward emo and hardcore at times. But their delivery really makes it all, as they realize that it takes a certain amount of seriousness to really put across these songs. Their singer, Alex, really puts his all into his vocals, ending up somewhere between Dexter Holland (of the Offspring) and On's Ken Andrews. And the guitar/bass interplay tries to add the little Bob Mould touches that give this music the depth it needs, à la At the Drive In. With all the comparisons, it may seem as though the band is quite unoriginal. Luckily, the genre lends itself to bands such as this, and they do manage to throw enough of their own personality into the music to give it their own personal stamp. Overall, this is a great debut for a band that has boatloads of potential but has not had the chance to prove itself to the punk rock community.