You Gonna Pay is the latest EP from sizzling surf/punk-rock outfit Dead Jetsetter. Surf/punk? Yes, I’m sticking to that genre descriptor — it has all of the chaotic noise that comes with punk rock, but the jovial melody and glitzy guitar gives me beach vibes. And pop-punk doesn’t seem fitting; this music has a real punk energy to it. You can hear it in the vocalist’s enigmatic voice. And the EP wastes no time getting settled into a manic, battering groove with twangy, high-fretted guitars, a throbbing and insanely fast drum beat, and yelling, emotive vocals on “You Gonna Pay (Edith Bunker version),” the brutal self-titled opener to this exciting record. It’s a masterful way to kick off a record, especially when you only have three tracks to make an impact.
“Days So Far Away” is another gem. The chorus is unbelievably catchy, which isn’t a word that people necessarily use for such fast-paced, frantic, loud music. Head-bang-worthy. Rock n’ roll. Gnarly? Sure. But “catchy” might seem like a strange adjective, and yet I can’t get the earworm out of my head — I’m still hearing that repetitive, ferocious vocal hook from the chorus in my mind. And yet again, the drumming and guitar work is second to none. Just absolutely spectacular work. Truly professional and mind-blowing creativity on display here.
All good things must end, and they end so well on “Heartache Dissipate,” which is my favorite of the three songs. The power chord progression is nostalgic in a way that’s hard to put into words. It reminds me of my bygone days of skater-scene obsession, and there’s another wonderfully upbeat and catchy — yes, catchy — vocal hook in the chorus. There are also some brilliant lead guitar sections in here, breaking up the vocal sections, lending an extra layer of musical goodness to this fantastic closing track. If you long for real punk music, but punk with a happy-go-lucky flavor, then this might be your band.