Keep Them Confused

As one of the important early practitioners of California skate punk, No Use for a Name would have every right to simply rest on its laurels, churning out one album of speedy, harmony-infused pop-punk rock after another. Luckily, the band refuses to stop refining its sound. Long-time fans need not worry, of course; KEEP THEM CONFUSED doesn't attempt to reinvent the wheel. There are plenty of high-energy guitars and mosh-worthy beats on display, but NUFAN isn't afraid to throw a wrench in the works either. "Divine Let Down" matches a John Lennon-esque melody to an ultra-spare, heavily processed drum beat and lightly strummed acoustic guitars. "Apparition" is full-on mid-tempo alternative rock, full of big choruses and plaintive Brian Wilson-style verses. "Bullets" shows a newfound lyrical maturity, waxing philosophical about the nature of religion and human relationships while maintaining an endearing adolescent innocence.