GREY SKIES USA (VINYL)

Seven inch vinyl EP. Coming out of Sacramento's excellent underground Punk/Pop scene, English Singles is helmed by Scott Miller, erstwhile member of such greats as the Bananas, Ski Instructors, Bright Ideas, Nar and many others. With a rich knowledge of Punk and DIY Pop history, Miller steeps his great, ragged tunes in the Television Personalities/McTells/Cause Co-Motion tradition. English Singles is the latest of Miller's bands and might be his best yet. Backstreet Pages is their first release and it's nothing short of a master class in DIY pop. Twelve-string-infused tunes like "Grey Skies USA" and "Winter" wouldn't sound out of place on an early Creation Records compilation, and "Daydream" sports a super sing-along melody. The EP wraps up with live favorite "Finer Points," which has been rather aptly described as a cross between Buzzcocks and Razor cuts.