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Punk rockers beware! The girls are here to play. All girl punk band the Halo Friendlies are back with a new release entitled Get Real. This is their second full-length album and first release since their 1999 Acid Wash EP.

This album really shines. All of the tracks here are solid and sound new and fresh. One of the biggest complaints I have about many punk bands is that all of their songs sound pretty much the same. If I listen to the first three or four tracks off of any punk rock album I feel like I'm listening to those same songs over the rest of the project. All twelve songs on this album, however, stand out. Some of the credit for the musical diversity of Get Real could be credited to the production by Kim Shattuck who is the guitarist and lead vocalist of Los Angeles pop-punk rockers The Muffs.

Lyrically, this album doesn't cover a lot of territory. Most of the songs are about love, or the lack thereof. And while the lyrics are a bit melancholy the album is fun to listen to. The last track, "Unsaid Goodbyes" is actually a nice acoustic song that is both a good change of pace and a fitting close to the album.

All girl bands don't have a good history of continual success, but whatever the reasons for that might be I, for one, hope that the Halos don't disappear. All gender issues aside this band creates good music. There is certainly room for growth lyrically and they might have taken a few more chances with their vocals, but the talent is here and many fans will find this a great album. Let's hope we hear more from the Halo Friendlies in the future.

Darryl A. Armstrong 02/09/03