Belvedere

Another collection of what Belvedere does best — fast-paced punk rock, heavy on the impressive musicianship, but sometimes lacking in the songwriting department. While the songs here display the frantic energy the band is known for, they sometimes rely a little too heavily on dramatic musical shifts and showy guitar playing. This is not to deny the inherent appeal of songs like "Two Minutes For Looking So Good,” where technical skill and good songwriting meld together into a huge aural kick in the ass. The album closer "Anesthetic” is another example of Belvedere at their best, combining melody with dissonance, atypical song structure, and a feeling of passion that pervades every note played.