Most all of the bands on
Punk the Clock fall into the emo-inflected and melodic pop-punk pool, so if that's your poison -- if you love labels like Fueled By Ramen, Takeover or Drive-Thru -- this presents a nice sampler of 24 up-and-coming bands on the scene in 2004. Cuts from popular acts like
Fall Out Boy,
Taking Back Sunday,
Over It and
Yellowcard will no doubt draw in many fans initially, but those interested will surely stay for the likes of
the Academy Is,
Punchline,
Acceptance and
Gym Class Heroes, the latter whose clever wordplay on the hip-hop flavored "Taxi Driver" is a welcome ending to an admittedly homogeneous compilation. Because many of these groups can sound pretty interchangeable upon initial spins,
Punk the Clock lags a bit, especially with the middle tracks, but there are generally enough melodic hooks and urgent choruses to get one through without a hitch. More hit than miss for fans of the genre, this record is a great way to get to know some new acts that will most likely be making bigger waves in the coming years. ~ Corey Apar