Record Label: Financial Records
Genre: Ska Punk
Band Link: link
Buy on Amazon.com link

Florida-based VOC play eclectic but soft-natured pop punk and punk-with-horns. They’re best when they stick to standard punk, in which they add some unique twist. Check out “Do Nothing” (their best tune) which has a cool poppy take on driving street punk, and “Me and Alex P. Keaton” has a whiff of both Social Distortion and Irish punk.

Their sunny disposition seems like it would be perfect for ska, but their attempts at it give them a latter-day, calmer Bosstones sound, which they and the world could do without. “Brandon’s Challenge” has better horn work than their other ska-ish songs, but it also has jarringly too-crunchy choruses and breakdowns.

Their good-natured attitude, perfect for their mature pop-punk, hurts when they try harder styles. The attempt at oi! (“Rocks and Human Bombs”) sounds inept and silly.

I like that VOC plays different styles and are mature writers, but if they’re going to incorporate ska they should blend it in rather than weakly use it as a flourish. And given the clean, wistful vocals, they should avoid oi! and hardcore at all costs.

Bottom Line:
Notable Tracks: Just Fine, Do Nothing, No Idea
Overall Rating: