All bands go through growing pains. Maybe it's the same for labels, too. FlightPlan Records is a Philadelphia-based label established late last year that appears as though it will specialize in pop-punk, but their first release unfortunately isn't very special.

The Erection Kids begin with four songs of well-recorded but rather uninspired, amateur material. To say TEK are a poor man's Buddha-era Blink-182 is to say this man is so broke he sleeps under a bridge naked without even a box to call shelter. Actually, they blatantly rip off the "na-na"s from "The Party Song" in "Where We'll Be." The band just sound tired, even playing at fast tempos ("Where We'll Be"), and their lyrics are nothing that couldn't be culled from the kids on any junior prom dance floor.

Title Fight isn't wonderful, but at least they sound like they have some potential. Vague nods to `80s melodic punk acts like Descendents (the "Cheer"-esque guitars in the very beginning of "Evander") and Gorilla Biscuits (the brief but very "Things We Say"-ish drumbeat in "Room 200") find themselves sparsely scattered around the songs, but the band come off overall like a more raw First to Leave. The vocals certainly get iffy at some points, and rarely if ever is anything new ever offered musically, but at least they've got some pep. They could definitely make some real noise on their next release.

Overall, FlightPlan's premier release is poor and forgettable, but their blueprints show that there's likely much better things on the way: namely Portland, Maine's Reunion, who should save(s) the day with their self-titled EP and a new LP from Zolof the Rock and Roll Destroyer.

STREAM
The Erection Kids - Thanks to You
Title Fight - Evander