The Backup Plan could very well be arrested for stealing after the authorities hear this record. Every power chord, every breakdown, and every vocal inflection has already been done by New Jersey punk godfathers Lifetime, and their offspring Kid Dynamite. And yet, it doesn't bother me a lot. Why? Because this album is really, really, really fucking fun.

Plowing through 12 tracks in less than 20 minutes, these New Jersey natives - big surprise, right? - demonstrate that they've all read the "Emotional, Anthematic Punk Rock For Dummies" book in their local Barnes and Noble, but there's enough originality here to allow the blatant plagiarism to slide. The vocals, while strongly reminiscent of Ari Katz and Jason Sevechuck, also throws in a bit of the new school Long Island sound, most notably Adam Lazzara of Taking Back Sunday.

The band writes fun-yet-intense hardcore punk, and with song titles like "I Broke Your Heart And All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt" and "holyshitholyshitholyfuckingshit," this band knows how to have a good time. My personal favorite track is "Sweet Revenge on St. Marks High School," but there's no real duds on the disc at all.

Well hell, even if there were, you wouldn't know because the song would be over before you could complain.

While not original in the slightest, the Backup Plan is doing something interesting and entertaining here. If they can break the out of the Lifetime/Kid Dynamite shell for their next release, look for greatness. Until then, they just provide goodness.

MP3s
Even The Mona Lisa Is Falling Apart
Keep The Change Motherfucker