Hostage Life

White Jesus finds Hostage Life in top form, their sound refined to a sharp point that punctures the nu-emo-laden musical landscape of today with some much-needed vitality. When bands play a style that’s more reminiscent of past decades than anything their peers are playing, it’s easy to see the difference between those who are simply ripping off punk’s forefathers (tradition for tradition’s sake) and those who truly love, study and live it. Fortunately, Hostage Life are the latter. Everything from the guitar riffs and drums to the emphatic backing vocals are steeped in the tradition set forth by bands like Stiff Little Fingers and the Clash (the best example of which is found on their cover of Wire’s "Mr. Suit”). Still, the band manage a fresh enough approach to remain relevant and noteworthy in a time when traditional punk rock seems to be falling by the wayside. The four songs here go by far too quickly.