Pink Razors

Leave Alive (2008)

Brendan

Pink Razors have returned with nine new tracks of pop-punk that makes you feel like you are back in high school, except without everything about high school that sucks. Leave Alive also happens to be the first Pink Razors release with their new guitarist, singer-songwriter Erin Tobey.

These songs are noticeably longer than most of their previous material. Most of the time they manage to keep the songs interesting enough that they do not feel too formulaic or absurdly long. However, there are a few points in the album where the songs bleed together. Another change is that they sound less aggressive, which allows them to focus even more on melody. Leave Alive also reinforces, with the song "Clouded," the idea that instrumental pop-punk songs are not a good idea. Sure, the guitar line can be catchy, but the beginning of the next track cannot be more welcomed.

There are a number of high points on this record. The choruses will have you singing along after the first listen. The guitar work on this album makes Pink Razors stand out among their peers. Erin Tobey's vocals work perfectly and left me wishing that she sang lead on more songs.

Leave Alive is yet another solid release by a band that is constantly at work bringing the fun back to punk.