The Heartless

Tempe rockers The Heartless not only have hearts, but smarts as well. The heart beats throughout the band's seminal release, This Could Take Some Getting Used To, as all six songs on the pop-punk opus seem to have their lyrical origin somewhere between Lonely Street and Nostalgia Drive (but thankfully, nowhere near Pretentiousness Turnpike). The smarts show in The Heartless' choice of local producer and Flying Blanket Studios guru Bob Hoag (who's worked with a long list of talented locals, including Adam Panic, Mr Kline + The Wizards of Time, Minibosses, and The Format, among others). Hoag seems to add a hardness to The Heartless' supercharged rock sound, and a sharpness to the young band's rough edges. Songs like "Theme for a High School Movie" demonstrate The Heartless' aptitude for melodic guitar progressions (à la The Ataris), while tracks like "Run Away" show off the band's darker songwriting side (à la Postal Service). The musicianship is impressive, but the CD's title is misleading -- with influences like Green Day, Blink-182, and MXPX, The Heartless' music doesn't take any getting used to at all.