Fourteen minutes and thirty-three seconds.

That's the amount of time it takes Josh Caterer to take over the throne in the kingdom of emotional pop-punk.

We all remember the Smoking Popes, right? Chicago's best [and most depressing] export since the Chicago Cubs. They left us with 3 studio albums, a handful of 7"s, and a live CD's worth of amazing rock music. Josh found his calling in the church, so he said, and the band disbanded, to the collective cries of anguish of thousands of awkward teenagers scattered throughout the greater Chicagoland area.

But they're back! Well, sort of. Duvall is Josh's return to the rock scene, with former Popes [and Alkaline Trio] drummer Mike Felumlee in tow. Since this EP, Popes guitarist Eli Caterer has also joined the band, making them a force to be reckoned with. But enough about the past: how does the EP sound?

If you expected me to say "fucking great!" then you're obviously paying attention. In these four songs, Josh picks up pretty much where he left off, his beautiful countertenor voice soaring in the CD's two best tracks: "Standing At The Door" and "The Moon Looks Like A Tomato." The music is what you would expect; there's definitely a Smoking Popes feel here, but it sounds original enough to be able to distinguish between the two. Felumlee's drumming is rock solid as usual, and newcomer John Sewell [ex-Kidsnack] holds down the low end admirably.

Every time I play this, a smile comes to my face. Josh Caterer is back, poetry book in hand, and he is ready to school all of you. Beware Duvall!

MP3s
Standing At The Door
Time Is Gone