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Featuring former members of punk group One Man Army, Dead to Me’s debut album isn’t that different from Cal-punk bands you can buy by the bushel. Nonetheless, it’s still a decent record featuring the mid-octane to high-octane punk power of “Don’t Lie” that sounds like The Buzzcocks in some respects and the fine sing-along “By the Throat”. Short and to the point, former One Man Army members Jack and Brandon work overtime on charmers like “Something New”, which is pure punk rock with a nice bass line that adds to the hook.  “Special Professional” has some similar characteristics to “Little Sister” by Queens of the Stone Age. Generally it’s a pretty good effort at punk rock, judging by catchy ditties like “Splendid Isolation”, which packs lots of bite to it. Other highlights here are “Visiting Day” and the relentless “True Intentions”, as it brings to mind early Green Day and Rancid.

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Originally from Cape Breton, MacNeil is currently writing for the Toronto Sun as well as other publications, including All Music Guide, Billboard.com, NME.com, Country Standard Time, Skope Magazine, Chart Magazine, Glide, Ft. Myers Magazine and Celtic Heritage. A graduate of the University of King's College, MacNeil currently resides in Toronto. He has interviewed hundreds of acts ranging from Metallica and AC/DC to Daniel Lanois and Smokey Robinson. MacNeil (modestly referred to as King J to friends), a diehard Philadelphia Flyers fan, has seen the Rolling Stones in a club setting, thereby knowing he will rest in peace at some point down the road. Oh, and he writes for PopMatters.com.


Related Articles
6 Mar 2012
If Dead to Me was an indie-rock band, they'd be getting props for their retro '90s punk sound. But really, they aren't a throwback because bands like this never stopped playing this kind of music.
27 Jan 2010
African Elephants has plenty going for it, and Dead to Me should be commended for avoiding irony or building image. Now, the band needs to pin down an identity.
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