Girl In A Coma - Both Before I'm Gone (www.blackheartrecords.com)

I know what you're thinkin' and yeah, you're right! Girl In A Coma got their (cool) name from Morrissey's classic song "Girlfriend in a Coma." Drawing on their influences such as The Smiths and The Pixies, they not only pay homage to them, they also add their own unique, original freshness to their new album, Both Before I'm Gone. Ok, enough with the history, let's get to the fun stuff! Slipping away from a harsher punk sound, the songs are a mix of arm-wrestling melodies and pure pop craft. The songs have a greater range and assurance, expanding beyond a genre that is genuine to their punk roots. Yet, their sound gets in your face, and aimes to blow your ears away at times. Their style can be fast and angry, but it can also come around to sweetly melodic. Now don't think for even a second that they gonna fill your head with ear candy. Girl in a Coma (siblings Nina - guitar, vocals and Phaine Diaz - drums, and childhood friend Jenn Alva- bass), can create emotional drama in surprisingly tuneful ways. Produced by Kenny Laguna (Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Eyelinners, Vacancies), he tosses in modest atmospherics while keeping the songs very melodic. Like the Smiths some of the cuts have darker grooves, but the vibe of songs comes across as upbeat. And just for the record this is not a cutesy, or whimsical band. They came to knock you out, take your money, and blow your mind! Nina has a soulful, growl of a voice that, combined with the guitar-bass-drums line-up, takes it back to the early days. With Phanie and Jenn's solid rhythm section reminding us why they call it punk rock. When they get to a rave up like "Mr. Chivarly", they sound more like the Go Go's evil twin. Hard, bashed-out melodic punk, accentuated by pop vocal yelps. Girl In A Coma (Girlinacoma.com) are untouchable, and going further than most bands doesn't necessarily mean extreme. They leave room next album and the next and ...

- Phil Rainone