Something Fierce

This punk/pop trio from H-town offers a sound that fuses together the 1970's punk attitude with gleeful nuances and a more global approach. Released last April, Don't Be So Cruel, their third album, is a step in a rather weird direction for Something Fierce. Now, they haven't forsaken their allegiance to the punk world by selling out, but they have developed a more grown-up sound that is well crafted and a solid foundation that keeps them rooted."Future Punks" is one of the more popular tracks off the album, relieving us of the angry tension found in most punk songs and supplying us with a rather sumptuous dance tune.Their great divide between love and hate is distinguished through singer/guitarist Steven Garcia's lyrical influence in the title track: "It's okay if you don't wanna be nice / but all that hate is gonna find you." Something Fierce isn't unabashed to take that yearning for change and turn it into a wide-open rally cry for everyone to sit up and listen.Don't Be So Cruel is a hybrid of sounds that still offers the grittiness of punk but cultivates an energetic transition from post-punk to a more polished punk that is unpretentious and quite enjoyable. The rally cries are still palpable so breaking shit might be necessary.