The Nohawks

A synthesizer isn't something you would expect to hear as the lead instrument in a skate punk band but the Nohawks make it vital to their SoCal-influenced sound. Tickling each key to a punchy, spastic beat rounded out by jutting, palm-muted guitar and melodic vocals, the band draw close comparisons to pop punk heavyweights Lagwagon, No Use for a Name and Nerf Herder. Lyrically the songs use biting humour, most notable on the cleverly titled "The Pursuit of Crappiness" and the self-deprecating "Gusher," which touches on an ex-girlfriend and her impressive erogenous abilities. The production is slick and appropriate for the quartet's genre and the music is crafted and performed tightly, with each member starting and stopping on a dime. Grasping the Mainstream is an energetic and offbeat effort that is something along the lines of a punk rock Billy Joel on a skateboard. Well, maybe not that offbeat.