Schmaltz [CD]

Massive, emo-fuelled and anthemic punk jams from Spanish Love Songs, if you're into the likes of The Hotelier, The Menzingers, Microwave, Into It. Over It. Or Modern Baseball then this is certainly worth checking out. Musically, Schmaltz also finds the band at something of a crossroads. Too indie to be punk and too punk to be indie, they blend the earnest pop-punk of the Menzingers, the anthemic drive of the Gaslight Anthem with the engaging melancholy of Mountain Goats and the Weakerthans on a rousing but emotionally bruising album. While Schmaltz is, understandably, dominated by Slocum's intelligent, exploratory lyrics, the songs themselves are a tight and cohesive set of punchy rock songs crammed full of spiky hooks and fuzzy melodies. It's an exposed, cathartic record that'll appeal to anyone seeking sanctuary from life's unpredictability.