On The Fifty
Fast Hands, Bad Timing (CEN/RED/Sony)
By Mike Delano
NYC upstarts On The Fifty show a great range of sounds on their five-song debut EP, Fast Hands, Bad Timing, offering up a pretty sweet bento box of things to come. The driving, catchy punk pop of opener “Even If It Kills” would’ve made a fine template for the entirety of the 20 minutes here, but these guys have wide eyes and are focused on more ambitious pursuits. “Blue Roses” pulls in some communal gang vocals to liven things up, “Things Get Wet In The Ocean” is a showcase for frontman Tim Dolan’s forceful voice, and the swirling, hypnotic “D Song” is the best among many of Tom Dambro’s guitar highlights. Closing track, “The Future,” brings things back to the start with another gold-plated pop punk anthem, even if this one has a tinge of sadness (“So what ever happened to sticking around through thick and thin?”). On The Fifty know good hooks, they know good songs, and pretty soon, your mom and dad will be asking if you’ve ever heard of ’em.
(www.facebook.com/onthefifty)