REJECTIONEERS – 25

Rejectioneers blend rich melodic punk with an emotional draw similar to the earlier records of Mae or Jimmy Eat World. The South Carolina five-piece is camped in the emo-rock of the early 2000s, but in the best way possible. Their five-song digital EP entitled 25 gets in, gets out, and stirs up a landscape of emotion in between. The short and sweet release is so melodically driven that any more than five tracks would have been too much of a good thing. However, Rejectioneers measure the right dosage of sugar-coated punk to create a refreshing batch of songs.

The album gets going with “Murderers,” a nostalgic ballad that structurally nods to Jimmy Eat World in just about every way. Following suit is “Get So Mad,” which is ultimately the strongest track. The vocals in the two verses  are provocative yet simple, complimented by an infectious chorus that will get stuck in your head.

The dark horse on the list is the tender one minute and 14-second “Buried Treasure.” The abrupt ending to the track stirs a sense of wanting more. The haunting “oohs” and “ahhs” winding in the background below the forefront vocals are  promising aspects that will hopefully be explored in their future releases.

Call it emo, old school, or high school. Whatever umbrella one puts it under, Rejectioneers’ 25 is an endearing effort full of silky hooks and friendly jams. The EP is available to download on their Bandcamp on a “pay-what-you-want” basis.

(self-released, no address provided)