AP MAgazine 4/09
[3/5]
A band on Tim Armstrong's Hellcat Records imprint who play heart-racing, old-school punk with obvious affection for the Clash and hard-skanking reggae beats-what are the odds? Elvis Cortez has fronted Wilmington, California, trio Left Alone for a dozen years and it shows: While the moves are mundane, the execution's effortless as Cortez whips through 15 tracks in just over 35 minutes without losing any momentum. Their precision scores plenty of winners from hooky garage/punk-pop break-up songs ("Porcelain," "Empty") to rubbery ska-punk ("Branded," "Wishing Well"), rockabilly-tinged rave-ups ("Sad Story,") and hook-lined hardcore like early Rancid ("Spiked With Pain," "Brindle"). The stylistic variety goes a long way in compensating for the music's predictability. It's not the type of album to win new adherents, but it will make fast friends with Rancid Nation. (HELLCAT; hell-cat.com) Chris Parker