Local pop-punk outfit sounds mainstream

There's something that can be said for the Bloomington music scene, and that's diversity. Not everyone just wants to play Dave Matthews' covers, thankfully, but that's not to say every band is strikingly original. Throughout their latest EP, You Got It Raw, the Nicotones evoke a common punk-pop formula reminiscent of mid-career Green Day ("Dookie," "Insomniac"), but more dramatic, ala the Gin Blossoms. Yet there is still that feeling of small town innocence floating through every independent note. The image the Nicotones project is that of 70s/80s punk rock, when punk actually meant something (it still does, but not the MTV version). Adding to this image, the vocals sound eerily similar to a bad imitation of The Ramones, but still fit the music, even if they are occasionally off-key. Punk's most redeeming quality was the political leftist drive behind each big hit, but You Got It Raw is more playful and absurd, as evidenced by the "Jabberwocky (abridged)" skit mid-way through the album. Still, the music is fun and melodic, but what's the point if independent music sounds so mainstream?