Album Review: Class - But Who's Reading Me?

Class

But Who's Reading Me? EP

**and1/2 out of *****

The Tuscon, AZ based outfit Class have been busy lately (this is their third release in eighteen months) as the group blast out six tunes to make up the But Who's Reading Me? EP. Two of the tracks are re-recordings of songs from their previous full length, Epoca de Los Vaqueros, while four are new bangers. 

The direct comparison for this outfit is The Buzzcocks as Class deploy catchy hooks, choruses and polished tracks with a razorblade-under-the-surface style of puffed up power pop/punk rock. Using multiple lead singers also helps with that comparison but each track feels sonically to be crafted from that bands heyday.

Right from the opener, the angst of lyrical outputs decrying all the bad news, sung by lead guitarist Andy, mixes with infectious riffs and hooks for "No News Could Please". That feeling boils over into "Inspect The Receipt" as capitalistic and fatalistic ways gets married around more arena ready guitars. 

Other guitarist Ricky takes over lead vocals for the rawer sounding "Burning Cash" which ups the angst levels while bassist Jim switches up styles for the more elongated "Grid Stress". The band re-imagined two recent tracks to close out the EP as the new direction of "Left In The Sink" reminds of Graveyard Lovers "Nameless" while album closer "Cockney Rebel Versus The Cult" picks up the driving bass and tempo this go around with a cleaner (and better) sound. 

Class deliver that power pop infected punk styling with, well, class, as they delve in and pump up that late seventies British punk sound with expertise on their newest offering But Who's Reading Me? 

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