Crash Romeo

Crash Romeo work on their power chords as often as they work on their action-figure poses. Guitar-driven verses come with enough space to allow ax-slinger Steve Anderson the time to point to audience acolytes, with pick nestled between thumb and middle finger; the pauses before choruses are protracted, meaning vocalist Travis Weber can bite his lip and do his best Jesus Christ pose. Crash Romeo are airtight and maddeningly anthemic, with the majority of their power punk debut, Minutes to Miles, striving for unattainable sonic heights. But when you hail from the land of oil refineries and the Toxic Avenger (New Jersey), that's what you do: You strive. Despite all the stage-lit posturing, Crash Romeo are serious. So serious, in fact, they named a song "Serious." Over amphetamine-charged chord play, Weber warns in a gelding-like voice: "This just got serious/I'm tired, I'm giving up." The title track evokes a similar silly gravitas: "Casualties and memories have made us who we are/Don't leave this story untold anymore." Cue Weber's best emo pose.