Friends of Friends

Well done, Florida, you earn another punk rock gold star for Friends of Friends' self-released debut, Deep Search, an insanely likeable, No Idea-esque set of rough-and-conscious, tuneful punk that's more than worth the mouse click it'll take to get the free album download. Dual-vocal attacks and blunt structures recall New York's Latterman, but the minor-key intensity of fellow Floridians Hot Water Music adds depth that begs for repeat listens while eliminating the risk of too-pop burnout. On "Some Kind of Fake" and "Restless Legs," Friends of Friends get a visit from the ghost of Tom Gabel past, with urgent, vicious, clever rants on American class struggle and privileged ignorance, then they take his ghost to school on closer "Enough Was Enough," a surprising almost-ballad with a heart-crushing, descending riff that proves you don't need a Quin twin to get in touch with your softer side. An enviable ability for crafting melodies that are at once familiar and fresh is what makes these songs so incredibly effective and exciting. Deep Search is hardly groundbreaking, but maybe more importantly, in this genre, it has piles of personality, integrity and heart. This is a gem, for sure. Tell all your friends.