The Stryder

Masquerade in the Key of Crime (Equal Vision)
by Tim Den

The Stryder is undoubtedly the best band in the whole “cute boy emopunk” movement. Not only because two of their members used to play with the bassist from Saves The Day (a perfect example of an overhyped, substandard band), but because they’re gourmet chefs on their instruments, creating new flavors with the usually tiresome emo singing and pseudo-glam rock guitar licks. There’s a sense of youth in their songs, something that’s lacking in bands like New Found Glory, Saves The Day, Fenix, Tx, and all the other groups that fill their records with bigger-than-life egos. If kids these days need to look up to “punk rockers” (when did all the popular boys decide to wear jeans and tattoos?), they might as well chose The Stryder because at least this band knows how to play.
(PO Box 14 Hudson, NY 12534)