Sometimes we go to a record store, look around for something new and find...well... absolutely nothing. However, on my recent visit to Virgin Megastore, I wanted to push the envelope, find something that stood out from all the rest. As I looked for a copy of a Cranberries CD I found something that caught my eye. Maybe it was the large T-shirt the CD was wrapped in. Yeah, that was it. I took it over to the "Listening Booth" and found the next best thing from the New Jersey coast since MCR, Midtown, and Senses Fail. CRASH ROMEO. Their new CD, brought to you by Trustkill Records is something to talk about. From the razor sharp guitars to its dark melodic lyrics, it's full of more surprises than a cereal box. My favorite songs are "Serious" and "Get up, Shut Up", which I believe the latter is their first single. You definitely won't be sorry, but you might want to rock out a whole lot!! So go out and check out the video at www.crashromeo.com. Something unique is waiting for you. CRASH ROMEO.

HIGH SCHOOL HEARTACHE AND CARELESSNESS: Crash Romeo certainly presents something new to the Trustkill lineup. The label, known for putting out brutal metalcore albums from bands such as Poison the Well and Bleeding Through, has taken a chance with Crash Romeo, a five piece emo pop outfit from Bernardville, New Jersey. And Trustkill has definitely struck gold, as far as power pop music goes. Minutes to Miles is a pleasant and beguiling album- a diamond in the rough of an oversaturated genre. As a mesh between The Starting Line and Rufio, Crash Romeo’s young punk rock aggression is complimented by their hooky guitar riffs and original use of synths. "From the Bottom of This Bottle," the album’s most unforgettable song, compels listeners to sing-along with vocalist Travis Weber as he belts, "Here’s to my friends and the crazy nights that we spent / Drinking all night and crashing in the basement." The song contains both an appeal and a resonating ring, positioning it in the exact light needed to achieve anthem status among the adolescent boys and girls. Trustkill is indeed moving away from its roots with the release of Crash Romeo’s Minutes to Miles, but the label has nothing to fear. While metal heads and hardcore kids may be less than welcoming, Crash Romeo has nonetheless created an excellent culmination of fun and exciting music on the Minutes to Miles that will give Trustkill the fuel it needs to survive in the ever-changing realm of punk rock.

I think this album is fantastic! I love to hear a band that can create a true meeting of passion and pop. The way Crash Romeo is able to accent their pop-punk sound with groovy moog lines reminds me of personal faves like Reggie and the Full Effect, Motion City Soundtrack, and the Anniversary. There are times when they get a bit more aggressive however and then all I can think of is those tracks on Taking Back Sunday's debut when they utilized synth to create some splendidly catchy results. The melodies are also top notch. I mean these things are more contagious than a horny teen with a bad case of mono. If I close my eyes during the choruses I can easily picture hundreds of kids singing along while throwing fists in the air. If you like fun, singing along, and rocking out this album is for you. I give it an 8 out of 10.

Minutes To Miles is Crash Romeo's LP debut, that's not bad for the band from New Jersey. They're not even two years old. The album covers a variety of topics like relationships, touring, and life in Jersey. "Heading West" is an interesting track about them getting out NJ and making a sacrifice of family and friends in attempt to make 'it.' This punk band will be heading overseas sooner or later. The album is solid, each song flows to the next track nicely. Travis Weber's voice made the record whole. "Hot Commodity" is also a good one to check out.

In recent years, punk-influenced pop-rock has become somewhat of a very saturated and boring style of music. At times you may even feel like you have heard every record over and over again and it was never that good to begin with. Crash Romeo’s debut record “Minutes To Miles” begs to differ with this view creating some great pop-hooks along with a punk attitude that gives the album the much needed edge. The album includes a little something for all those pop-punkers, it stays with the simple recipe of relationship songs and songs about moving on with life, things that teenagers and early 20’s adults can relate to. The album’s first track is also the title track “Minutes To Miles.” It is an explosive opener and shows that the band really has a good feel for writing really catchy pop-punk songs. Other songs that are really impressive are “Get Up, Shut Up” and “Heading West.” The band sounds a lot like Houston Calls (also New Jersey natives) and Knockout who has be defunct for a long time now but fans of them will definitely fall in love with this band. The band shows their softer side on a song like “On Deaf Ears We’ll Ride Tonight” and also some variation with a song with a little bit of a dance feel in “Hot Commodity.” This band really has a very bright future, I can easily see them becoming very big. Their only real flaw is that the vocalist is a bit whiney at times, but they make up for that with their stinging melodies and great sing a-longs. Crash Romeo have created a very solid debut record and the future looks very bright. It’s hard to say at this point what the band will do with their music in future releases, but if they mature and stick to mainly the same idea they had with this record they can be a band that will not only be around for a long time but have a huge fan base. Crash Romeo reminds me a lot of old New Found Glory, Knockout (RIP) and Houston Calls. This definitely isn't a band you would expect on Trustkill Records but they are definitely worth checking out. Only the future can tell, but it doesn’t look bad for these guys.

Emo-rock is a genre that still hasnt earned its ranks as a legit sub-rock category. And as someone who still hasnt grabbed a hold of the seriousness and its ability to stand through the criticisms. However, several bands continue to show their success with smooth guitars, triumphant drumming and harmonized singer-screamer vocals. While some of you choose to prejudge the talent behind post-hardcore bands, this album delights in the fundamentals of post-hardcore and emo-rock. Crash Romeo is not a band easily put down. Proclaimed as one of my most suprisingly amazing up and coming bands, Crash Romeo is here to stay, and might I say a great move by Trustkill Records with signing this amazing band. Minutes To Miles evolves slowly into an aggressive piece overly adequate for preparing anxious listeners for the remainder of the CD. Preliminary guitar pieces exercise extreme talent with the guys of Crash Romeo. Serious is a pretty solid track from clean/catchy vocals to smooth beats and steady drums, it exits and leads into Get up, Shut up with incredible rapidity although you may not notice it. Die In Your Arms starts out, as do a few tracks on Minutes To Miles, it unfolds to reveal the catchiest guitar parts and the finest vocals on the whole of the CD, also note this is one of my favorite tracks. Actions Not Words begins with a really sweet/catchy tune and is a pretty chill song. Heading West is most notable for its intriguing keyboard laced intro, similar to a HelloGoodBye song. Hang Your Head is another one of my favorites the vocal range in this song makes you really see how talented Crash Romeo's lead singer is, it's truely incredible. From The Bottom Of This Bottle is my favorite song on Miles To Minutes, I just love it all around it's possibly the catchiest song on the CD with gang vocals in a few parts it's spectacular, the chorus just makes it that more amazing. Hot Commodity starts out really smooth and Crash Romeo typical but is a true emotional filled ballad that I'm sure will help me sleep tonight. Dial `M' For Murder is more of a punk-rock song with strong drum leads and quick guitar/vocals making you see yet another piece of Crash Romeo's talent also showing off a few amazing screams which would be cool to see more on the album and that's really my only complaint on this wonderful effort by Crash Romeo. On Deaf Ears We Ride Tonight rounds out the disc perfectly. A relatively mellow track and also the only track with acoustic guitar, the concluding piece only begins to hint at the beautiful songwriting Crash Romeo is capable of. While the band seems caught up in a minor fashion in stereotypical emo-rock sounds, this song exhibits absolute brilliance, and it is here that the listener becomes truly engaged in the record. An excellent colaboration of incredible song-writing and melodic/extra catchy choruses and beautiful musicianship. Unfortunately, it is also here that the record ends. Crash Romeo leaves something to be desired on their latest efforts, Minutes To Miles, On Deaf Ears We Ride Tonight the group allows listeners to ponder whether or not the band can once again tap the potential which spawned the ultimate track on the album. A good cliffhanger often works in grasping a viewers attention and wringing him or her into the ensuing episode of a television series; Crash Romeo leaves it to be seen whether or not such a daring tactic will pay off in the musical world. For fans of Cartel, Armor For Sleep, Matchbook Romance, Taking Back Sunday, and Hit The Lights. I believe you will find Crash Romeo as a budding seed sprouting from the Trustkill family. Don't be a fool, grab Minutes To Miles when it drops, trust me it won't leave your CD player for sometime.