Let's be honest here. Recently, people have been having trouble distinguishing between pop-punk and radio-friendly pop-rock. Though the line is fine, it does exist. Thankfully, we have bands like Richmond, VA's Pink Razors to set the record straight and deliver a clear example of how pop-punk should sound.

The Pink Razors have emerged from the prolific Richmond scene with a style unlike their peers. They play a traditional brand of punk rock that harkens back to early days of Screeching Weasel, the Queers, and Dillinger Four. The Pink Razors show that the grittier side of pop-punk is still very much alive.

Scene Suicide is the Pink Razors' debut on Robotic Empire Records. This energetic 8-song EP goes by fast, but is chock full of addictive melodies and catchy hooks. The album's first song, "Fine Food," sets the stage for what's to come. The slower "Totally Nautical, Dude" features a great Dillinger Four-esque breakdown complete with "nothing fucking changes" sung loud and proud. Also, in true Richmond fashion, they've included their own tribute to their hometown with "Do You Wanna Go To Maymont?" Finally, the record ends with an acoustic singalong, "Burglarized!," which sarcastically thanks an unknown intruder that broke into their house.

It's unbelievable to me that bands like this will be dismissed simply because of the pop-punk label. Why does punk need 300 chords and tempo changes to satisfy us these days? Why can't we just kick back and enjoy ourselves? It's time to give pop-punk another shot. You have the likes of Blink-182, Sum 41, and all those other bands to blame for trying to ruin it, but you have the Pink Razors to thank for showing us how it should have been done all along.