Eighteen seems to be the magic number as of late. I've come across countless EPs in the past few months that are about eighteen minutes long, obviously not long enough for an album, but the absolute perfect length for an EP.

Forget the Jones' The Veil of Ignorance is one such EP. Chock full of great guitar work and youthfully exuberant vocals, this six-song EP is just what the doctor ordered. It straddles the thin line between pop and punk, but being more on the punk side of things; all six songs are a solid, energetic jolt to the system. If one listen to "Memory As a Drug" doesn't have you in good spirits, I don't know what it will take. Immediately starting with a strong blast of guitar work, Andy Malchiodi's delivery is curt and effective, perfectly suited for the pace and the tone of every song. And if the song calls for bits of shouting or yelling, he's got that handled fine as well, like "Palm Mute Sunday" would attest. It's not just a seasoned voice he brings to the table, however; his lyrics match as well:

Welcome to a country of cultural decline / Substance bows to image and beauty lacks a mind.

Greg Graffin-esque lyrics like that are sprinkled all throughout these tracks, minus the Jeopardy words that most just pretend to understand. Even so, and even when the lyrics take on a more simple aim, they're concise and straight to the point. Lyrics and vocals are nothing without strong instrumentation though, and trust me when I say, there's no lack of that.

Before any words are even uttered, guitarist Ryan Steele sets it off with some lightning quick and technically proficient chord progressions, and drummer Nick Carter holds it all down. "Set 'em up, knock 'em down, this is a call to arms!" is Malchiodi's mid-song rallying cry, and the song is only halfway over. Things keep improving for the band as the EP progresses, with every song having incredibly tight structure and fluid progressions. There's simply a lot to like with Forget the Jones' efforts, and at least from my end, this work is not going unappreciated.

Like Strung Out? Like Hot Water Music? Bad Religion, even? If you've answered yes to any of those, you'd do yourself well to pick up The Veil of Ignorance today.