Punk rock networking is a funny thing. It’s interesting to see how labels operate, and in case of Little Rocket – seeing just how far and wide they go to sniff out talent to share with the likes of you and I. Hailing from Winnipeg, Canada, Elder Abuse have put together a real pop-punk extravaganza on these three songs. Operating in a similar musical sphere as bands like The Flatliners (I’ll come back to that) or Lawrence Arms, they pile on the melody, but it’s not all sugar without the spice. Much like The Descendents or Husker Du a generation before, beneath the catchy tunes there are touches of melancholy and fury.

Pop-punk can be used to describe throwaway musical bubble-gum but Elder Abuse’s songs are in it for the long haul. You can listen to them over and over and peel back the different layers of their sound, which keeps it sounding fresh. Oh, and about that reference to The Flatliners? Well, the opening and title song features special guest Chris Cresswell, of the aforementioned band. His additional vocals lift this track and truly make it a keeper. A great little EP from a band that I had never heard of before but now that I know who they are, I’m going to chase down their back catalogue…. Tom Chapman