Noise Ratchet

CDListening to Noise Ratchet’s first full-length CD, Till We Have Faces, I was immediately reminded of the band Samiam—which is a good thing. This five-member San Diego band brings punk and grunge together with emo in a solid effort. It’s brooding enough to make you actually care, but lighthearted and poppy enough so that by the end of the album you aren’t crying and slashing your wrists. A few songs in the middle of the CD that drag a bit, like “End,” keep this from being a great album. But other strong songs bookend the weaker ones, leaving the listener little time to complain. If emo-type music isn’t your thing, this album will probably be too down for you. But if you are even mildly inclined toward a small amount of melodrama, Till We Have Faces will be a regular in the CD player.