Cover art for <3 by Select Start

Named as one of the best 21 unsigned bands of 2008 on PureVolume, Florida-situated powerpop quintet Select Start recently released a six-track record <3. Throughout the record this up-and-coming group prove with crisp vocals, strong melodies and arrangements that stay true to the powerpop genre that the people at PureVolume were definitely on to something, and they are worth keeping an eye on.

The record opens with the ironically titled Kiss Your Genre Goodbye, ironic because rarely do you get to listen to a band so defined, loyal to and constricted by a single genre as Select Start appear to be on this album. This works both to the advantage and disadvantage of the band, the former because they have a very polished sound that portrays them as much more experienced than they actually are, and the latter because unless you are giving the music your full and absolute attention the songs quickly become indistinguishable.

The stories of the songs are skillfully executed tales of typical teenage experiences, as for instance illustrated by the lyrics of the second track, Oh So Epic: "