Review

Self Against City will leave you "Speechless." Okay maybe that was a little too cheesy, but hey, the statement does have some truth to it. Pushing past the middle-of-the-road pop/punk sound isn't always easy to do, but SAC have found a broader niche to jump into with their new EP Take It How You Want It.

Lyrical structure has rarely sounded so clean and well crafted. Back that with resonating alternative riffs and a few damn catchy choruses and you've got one of the best EP's to come through the office in quite some time. While at moments comparable to Dead Poetic, we're certainly not complaining about the rock infusion that defines Self Against City's style. Songs "Always" and "All This Time" prove to be the straight rock 'n' roll based side of SAC while the hit song "Speechless" shows they're balance and diversity in adding pop roots without going overboard. Not to be forgotten is vocalist Jon Temkin's way with words that are clever and original all while truly wrapping around the music providing a deeper experience than you'd likely expect.

The only complaint to be had - six songs aren't enough. Thankfully, Self Against City are currently writing their yet untitled full length album in between a DIY booked national tour. If you're looking for one hell of a rock 'n' roll album with punk and pop roots then definitely grab a copy of Take It How You Want It.

Review by Jason Schleweis

4 out of 5