Lifetime

In the surprisingly crowded world of pop-punk, Lifetime is a rare find. They've got the right amount of energy, attitude, and teenage empathy to create music straight from the heart, and they've also got the ability to cram said music into perfect two-minute capsules. Like a heavier version of Weston or a more serious answer to the Bouncing Souls, Lifetime's straight-outta-Jersey punk anthems are the perfect soundtrack to disaffected youth. From skewered takes on love like "I'm Not Calling You" and "I Like You OK" to the "let's get drunk and listen to the Clash"sentiments expressed in "Irony Is for Suckers," Hello Bastards stands as the benchmark for high-speed pop-punk in the 1990s. Vocalist Ari Katz only bothers to pronounce every third word or so, but it's still enough to get the point across, and the rest of the group's talents at throwing in quick stops and catchy choruses effortlessly drives the message home. Lifetime made their career out of playing honest music about real life, and their presentation is as fun as it is serious. This is the record that really set the group on the path to becoming underground local heroes, and like much of the influential punk that it bases itself on, it has already shown the ability to stand the test of time. ~ Peter J. D'Angelo, All Music Guide