By Vinnie Apicella

Simon Says..."Kill Green Day!" Simon says, "Go put your headphones on and listen to this disc at full volume!" Now call your local radio station and request "On My Way!" Uh, uh, we didn't say Simon Says...you got caught! Well, actually, you're probably not going to have to. It won't be long before rock radio picks up on this talented foursome from the Golden State. With a youthful exuberance---it's downright depressing to look at this band to see how young they really do look and think, why didn't I do that when...but they've got the whole power-pop and rock groove down to a T on their new "Jump Start" CD. Nothing overly profound or insightful but yet just a little over the edge and raw in parts to get 'em rave reviews from adolescent wannabes everywhere---that's my prediction. The band looks to achieve serious results with a not-so-serious approach, refreshingly modest with no trace of harmful regret or hostile intentions. Blowing off steam, as it were, they do so with a mature talent that belies their youth in a time when it would be oh so easy to bitch and complain, they do neither. Yes, they take the honest road where songs like "Sever" and "Life Jacket" might be construed as just another...But where those leave off, a few others pick up their purity of emotion and yes, let's pick up and move forward---"Ship Jumper" and "On My Way." Singer Matt Franks, whom we'll assume to be th Vanilla Ice impersonator on the cover, takes charge almost immediately and what I found enjoyable aside from the obvious lack of negative feedback for a change, is there's quite a bit more imagination in the guitar parts than the usual customary repetitive blow out that cries out for the handler to take more lessons! Favorite cuts from "Jump Start" include "Sever," "Trip Wire" and "Act One" which is better than anything I've heard on commercial rock radio in some time. Simon Says, "Buy our record and help us get through college if this music thing isn't happenin' in a couple years!"

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