Merit

It's rare and rad when a record endears itself to you as a listener almost immediately. In the case of a band like Merit, there's an instantaneous understanding that will likely exist between songs like "Hold Everything" and anyone who thought the first Anniversary record was damn near perfect. Arson Is For Lovers is an unabashed slab of pop punk cut from the same cloth as bands like Hey Mercedes and Rainer Maria, reminiscent of the sound of the classic Fueled By Ramen roster, before everything pop punk exploded in a blast of neon and dance beats. The highlight is the title track, a catchy, punchy piece of mid-'90s melodic angst, but the whole package is worth checking out. After all, you can download the whole thing for free.