Kill the Camera EP offers good sound, nothing new

We had the great pleasure of catching New York rockers Kill the Camera at a Connecticut stop in July. We enjoyed their tunes though they gave a rushed performance and took home a copy of their seven-song EP. While the band took the stage looking very much as the Goo-Goo Dolls did when they released their hit "Name," they were given the backbeat drumming of a Nikki Sixx look-a-like. The addition of drummer Matt Kepler, however, does not give this band a Motley Crue edge. Kill the Camera calls themselves "powerpop" and they're right – this is commercial pop-rock and there's relatively nothing new about this band.

That's not to say that Kill the Camera is a dull reinvention of bands of days gone by. There is plenty to like about KTC and their EP is proof of that. On the whole, the tracks on this release are interesting and fun to listen to. There is a strand of consistency amongst all the songs that makes it a solid soundtrack for partying with the noticeable exception of "Waiting for You." While the song is an apparent attempt to write what could be the band's signature power ballad, the lyrics are trite and the melody tired. Lead singer Ryan Link's vocal performance might be the only thing that saves this track but either poor recording or poor mastering has ruined much of this release with a hiccupping sound obscuring portions of most of the songs offered here.

"Back to the Top" starts out promising enough as what could have been a hit but quickly looses its fire when the instruments drop out as the verse starts. The music of this song dictate a powerful, catchy chorus and yet that's one thing missing from this track. The intro doesn't fit the verse but the intro might be the strongest part of the song and the lead-up to the chorus just ends in a let down. There's a lot of potential with this track but unfortunately for the guys of Kill the Camera, they failed to zero in on their weak spots.

For a rush of fun powerpop, tracks "Before You're Gone," "Detonation" and "Devastated" stick out as the stand-out attractions for this offering from Kill the Camera. We hope with further releases, KTC discovers their weaknesses and builds on the foundations of the strong pop-rock band that has been started. There's a lot to like but Kill the Camera has a lot of room for improvement. With a sound and appearance reminiscent of the Goo-Goo Dolls, the band sounds good but they offer little to nothing that is new.