Pop-punk and pop-rock bands are two-a-penny at the moment. To say there’s a surplus would be an understatement. We can thank the likes of Blink 182 and Sum 41 for this, I guess. What it means though is that you have to pretty good to get on the radar and impress. Step up to the curtain and take a bow, Not Advised.

Rolling out of Southampton, this quintet has just released Fight For This, a five track E.P. that sounds just about as crisp and polished as it can get. With the likes of Paramore topping charts left, right and centre, and Fall Out Boy having cajoled a gazillion fans, Not Advised are going to take a slice of the action for the U.K. In short, Fight For This is a monolithic slab of home grown pop-punk.

Opening track, ‘A Red Light Situation’, lays down the gauntlet early on. A honed sound featuring crisp drums and slick guitars is accompanied by a silky smooth vocal and about a tonne of energy. It’s precise, clear and instantaneously jump-up-and-down leary. It’s the blueprint for the rest of the record also; fast, sweet, hooked to the gills. What stops Not Advised from being just another throwaway pop-punk band though is the musicianship behind it. Check out, ‘The A.R.K’ and tell me there’s not a little hint of the likes of Failsafe (particularly their last record) in the structure and guitars. It appears these guys are a little talented.

Without a doubt these boys are in the ascendancy. This five-tracker is a solid and tight little number that does the business. Even the most stoic of listeners will find it difficult not to at least tap a foot along. Head down to The Hat Factory on October 23 to see what I mean. You’ll want to be there too; there’s a big chance these guys won’t be playing small venues for too long.

http://www.myspace.com/notadvised

Fight For This is available now through the band’s own label, …is a Rockstar Records.

Not Advised play the Hat Factory in Luton with All Forgotten on Friday 23 October, 2009