Somewhere, sometime ago, this pair of ears came across the poppy punk sounds of the Lillingtons. I\’m not sure where and when that happened but it was at the time when bands like The Methadones, the Cobra Skulls and The Copywrights were turning the Red Scare Records imprint into something of a mark of quality, and The Lillingtons too have a long history with that label. As do Teenage Bottlerocket, which is no mere coincidence, seeing as once certain Kody Templeman is responsible for the vocals in both bands. The time of year for this release could also not be down to coincidence – Lillingtons\’ brand of pop punk is not of the saccharine-loaded summer party variety, but it is a bittersweet version, much more in tune with the sounds of Autumn. Their melodies are melancholic and at times haunting and you can hear a note of desperation in the delivery. With Halloween fast approaching these are the tunes for the unholy season and if this album is the poisoned apple, I\’ll be damned if I\’m not finishing it off, bite by bite. Tom Chapman