Left Alone "Lonely Starts and Broken Hearts"2005***

Left Alone is a punk band from Wilmington, California. They record on Tim Armstrong's Hellcat label and are as good as possible within the narrow punk genre. This album (their debut) sports catchy choruses, fierce but precise playing and ska injections for variety. The problem is that their labelmates Rancid have been doing the same thing for so long, it's easy to dismiss Left Alone as derivative. Sure, you have the Madness-meet-Green Day ska of "Another Feeling", Motorhead/Offspring hybrid of "My Whole Life" and rockabilly-ish "Heart Of Mine", but that's nothing new for the genre. Neither are the excursions towards ska ("By My Side","Dead Red Roses") and oi! ("Heart Riot","My Way") or Stiff Little Fingers-referencing "Would You Stay Now". So, this is my suggestion: buy it if you like Rancid or classic British punk & ska, go see them if they play your town (I'm sure these tunes sound best played live) but if you're not a serious punk fan, I can think of a couple dozen punk albums that are way more essential to your collection...

**** for Another Feeling, Would You Stay Now

*** for Lonely Starts & Broken Hearts, Broke My Heart, Monday Morning, By My Side, My '62, Heart Riot, Dead Red Roses, Heart Of Mine, Wasted Time

** for My Whole Life, My Way