Quick Take: The Nearly Deads - Revenge Of The Nearly Deads [EP]

What says the beginning of summer better than some upbeat, punky rock and roll? This is the time of high spirits and sunshine, and it makes for a good place for The Nearly Deads to release their new EP. I can't exactly remember how or where I was pointed in their direction, but the singles they have been putting out were intriguing, and now that the final product is here, I feel like there's enough to talk about.

The songs we were given early lead off the EP. Both "Diamond In The Rough" and "My Evil Ways" are bouncy tracks that have the sound you might have associated with Paramore years ago, before they became a New Wave band. It's also, if you're a reader of these pages, close to the sound that Shiverburn had on what was my second favorite album of last year. It's crunchy rock, modern, and with just enough pop overtones that the songs are restlessly catchy. It's the kind of music, in fitting with the season, that I can easily see people singing along with in the car, with the windows down and the volume cranked.

The entire band does a great job of setting up their music, but the star of the show is absolutely Theresa Jeane. Her voice has that spunky energy to it that makes the songs sparkle, and she can sell the melodies and hooks with aplomb. That's not true of everyone who can sing. She does it, and because of that, this EP rises above the pack.

I don't know what The Nearly Deads need to extract revenge from, but they've done it. While I selfishly wish this was a full album, it's a fantastic EP that delivers a bite-size serving of what modern rock should be.