Red Dons

What started off as a side-project from members of Portland, OR punks Clorox Girls and the Observers are now on the follow-up to their 2007 debut, Death to Idealism. Red Dons take an old school approach to their relatively new ensemble, borrowing heavily from '77 British punk akin to the Adicts and 999, the Red Dons crank out hook-heavy anthems recorded with minimal production value, giving off a vintage vibe. The building intro of the driving "Land of Treason" is the perfect taste of what's to come, the track bleeding into the surf riff-laden "Unheard Words," while "Pariah" closes resembles Adolescents staple "Kids of the Black Hole." Powerful as it is nostalgic, Fake Meets Failure is an impressive effort that nods to the predecessors of punk while still managing to keep things fresh with an energetic pace.