Hailing from Berkeley, California, The American Scene has been gaining attention recently for their DIY spirit and authentic songs. With the release of their EP, By Way Of Introduction, via Pure Noise Records, the group is poised to gain a larger following. The band members, Zac Craft (bass), Chris Purtill (guitar), Dave Taylor (vocals, guitar), and identical twins Charles Vincent (drums) and Matthew Vincent (vocals, guitar), have been friends since their middle school years in the Golden State. Their brand of organic pop-punk, analogous to The Dangerous Summer and My Hidden Track, is as infectious as it is therapeutic. 
 
By Way Of Introduction is by no means a sugar-coated pop record about partying. Rather, the guys take personal hardships and transform them into three-minute, guitar-driven mini-stories that border on Public Service Announcements for the emo generation— thanks, in large part, to Matthew Vincent, who writes most of the lyrics. “We were spending late nights on the phone // After months without a single // Call back home // And for a second I thought you were making me ok // But then I took a step back and remembered all the wasted days. // Maybe everyone’s right, maybe I spent too much time // Collapsing in on myself // I think I’m done collapsing in on myself,” Matt croons on “Last Chopper Out Of Saigon.” 
 
The American Scene are at their best on tracks like “Marty McFly, Nostradamus and I” and “Killer Off In The Second Act” which both have infectious hooks balanced by Charles Vincent’s solid percussion and the dual vocals of Matthew and David. Although they tackle profound themes, the group has this enlightened sense about their songs that keeps things airy and refreshing. 
 
The group could use a stripped down song here or there, allowing the listener a chance to differentiate between tracks with greater ease. However, to nitpick an EP over mixing seems a futile effort when the product is of such superior quality. The American Scene are not reinventing the wheel by any stretch of the imagination; nonetheless, their earnestness will not allow the group to stay relatively unknown for much longer. By Way Of Introduction ends with “A Million Minutes In The Making,” perhaps the exemplar of such sincerity and genuineness. In a recent interview, the group explained that, “If a band doesn’t have good character, it doesn’t matter how good their music may be, they wont get anywhere. I believe we have good character and meaning behind what we are doing. All of us play music because its what our hearts make us do, not because we are looking for a paycheck.” By Way Of Introduction is a testament to that character and heart. It is also one solid EP. 
 
***/*****

*This review was composed by Mike Meeze