I spent considerable time trying to figure out how I could relate BEDlight for BlueEYES' new digital EP, Waste My Time, to punk rock in even the most loosely contextualized sense, but I came up empty-handed.

What is it with traditionally hardcore-centered labels putting out albums from uber-soft radio-friendly pop bands? When’s the last time Sub Pop released a second-rate hardcore album? This seems to be a phenomenon that exists solely amongst hardcore labels. It’s deeply troubling.

Straight up, BEDlight for BlueEYES have no business associating themselves with even the most run of the mill oversaturated pop-punk, let alone a largely once-influential hardcore label that still manages to put out some really good albums. There’s no reason for this music to exist. If it wasn’t for the Trustkill logo stamped on the back, Waste My Time wouldn’t even find its way into college radio stations.

The album’s third track serves as the best example of what this EP offers. "Hindsight" would be lucky to pass off as a reject from a Third Eye Blind's B-Sides album. The two songs leading up to it are no better, unless you’re a rabid fan of mid-`90s radio pop. Closing off the album is a note-for-note cover of Bon Jovi’s "Livin’ on a Prayer" with Travis from Crash Romeo joining in on the shit parade.

I wanted to give this to the first person to email me, but sharing CD-Rs of digital EPs isn’t the most professional thing to do. I have never thrown out an album -- I still have that June CD somewhere -- but this one just went in the trash.