The Starting Line

No longer the genuine kids in a punk-pop genre full of grown men posing as delinquent juveniles, the Starting Line offer a sophomore LP with heavier guitars and world-wise lyrics like "I'm gonna tear your ass up like we just got married." A desire to be taken seriously can be fatal, but Tim O'Heir's skillful production ensures there's still plenty of youthful bounce.

These Pennsylvania boys have made their sad songs much less cheesy on their sprightly
second album. True Story contains fresh-faced punk ballads that are way more palatable
than most emo bloodletting, but it's still too depressive and not as songful as it ought to be.
Still, the Starting Line know how to make sweetly wordy pop out of over-the-top romantic
naivete.