Don't skip this one

Most bands that now find themselves under the pop-punk umbrella are imposters. Somewhere along the line, lightly chugging guitars were replaced with dreadful overproduction and synthesizers. Only a few bands still create their brand of the old-school formula, and Ohio’s Hit The Lights is easily one of the best. Even though they lost singer Colin Ross last year, guitarist Nick Thompson took over and it’s as if nothing has changed on their way to releasing their second album, Skip School, Start Fights.

Fights features just about anything that pop-punk fans could hope for: chugging guitars, soaring hooks and relatable lyrics about relationships and teenage dramatics. It’s absolutely nothing that hasn’t been done before, but the tracks stand out in comparison to their over-produced peers. And although Hit The Lights haven’t attempted any dramatic artistic changes, the improvement on vocals with Thompson allow Fights to remain in your head.

After a quick intro, the album gets off to a rousing start with three solid tracks, “Breathe In,” “Stay Out” and “Drop the Girl.” Each track includes solid, biting guitar work and heavy-hitting drums as Thompson delivers tales about great weekends and lackluster women.

“Drop the Girl” is certainly the album’s high-mark, featuring just enough handclaps and “Whoa oh’s” to keep the chorus spinning in your ears.

 Yet when they try anything different, the results are somewhat mixed. The mid-tempo “Tell Me Where You Are” drags but is saved by its great chorus, while the drone-like vocals on the almost-ballad “Don’t Wait” brings the album to a near halt. Midway through, the sameness of the tracks confuses the ear; it’s sometimes hard to decipher when you’re hearing something new.

Hit The Lights have delivered a quality pop-punk album that’s catchy and full of energy, but it’s also cursed by the genre, so much that eventually things bleed together. It might not make you want to skip school or start a fight, but you’ll at least want to roll down the windows and jam.