Biters: It’s OK to Like Biters

Biters’ second EP moves further away from the group’s manicured punk disposition while embracing the sound of AM Gold circa ‘79. Cultivated glam and metal sass holds on for dear life as snatches of Ratt, Mötley Crüe and Cheap Trick’s teased-out guitar strut sneaks into “Ain’t That Easy,” “Shout It” and “Electric Nights,” sometimes all in the same measure. Each song unfolds like a cocksure anthem with harmonies meticulously stacked atop each other, bending to the whims of Tuk Smith’s pining vocal missiles. When it seems that a clichéd hook is coming around the bend, the songs take impressive, stylistic turns. There’s no denying that nostalgia is a large part of Biters’ sound, as the group treads willfully close to the slippery slope of revivalism. But the songs stand on their own sense of character, firmly planted in the here and now. (4 out of 5 stars)