Pretty Girls Make Graves

This four-track EP by the Seattle drama punk band Pretty Girls Make Graves features the wire-tight "This Is Our Emergency," taken from their 2003 record, The New Romance. The song deserves to be singled out as it is one of the best tracks on that very strong record, Andrea Zollo's vocals surfing nimbly over the churning waves of melodic noise. The other three tracks are taken from a set recorded for London's XFM in December 2002. The highlight is a high-energy version of "Speakers Push the Air" (the best track from the band's previous record, Good Health), but the two songs from The New Romance, the manic "All Medicated Geniuses" and an atmospheric version of "Blue Lights," are just fine too. A nice preview for the upcoming record and an essential purchase for fans of the band (and if you aren't one, you probably should be). ~ Tim Sendra, All Music Guide