Star Fucking Hipsters

The first thing that comes to mind after pushing play is "holy shit, Stza is growing up.” After the intro track the ears are greeted by a soft piano before exploding into a song that’s more reminiscent of Anti-Flag or Rise Against than anything that’s come from the Crackrocksteady camp in the past. Of course there’s still the unique sound of the former Leftover Crack front-man’s vocals, but the interplay between the male and female singers creates a more powerful, inclusive sound. And there is still the obligatory ska ("Snitch to the Suture”) and fast ’90s skate punk ("Immigrants & Hypocrites”) moments, but even the juvenile, over-played topic of dead cops can’t spoil songs like "Two Cups of Tea,” where the softer, mournful sound makes for a more intimate experience. Where this album is most successful is in taking the ideas and themes from all of their past bands and presenting them in a more mature, grown up way, allowing for the topics to not seem contrived or juvenile.