Broadway

Broadway's screamo runs the risk of being typecast as typical scene music, but they step it up by making their sound believable and actually good. Kingdoms was evidently recorded with intense passion and energy, translating beautifully to the slick drums and positive vocals, but not the slightly-too-quiet guitars. Their youth forgives them for borrowing from the Used, especially on "Last Saturday," and their ambition awards them guest vocals from Chiodos' Craig Owens and Emarosa's Johnny Craig. Snappy song titles like "Same Thing We Do Every Night Pinky" and "We Are Paramount" highlight their humour and intelligence but also places them firmly in the sea of a million other pretty-faced boys with tight pants and loose jokes. They haven't learned to take themselves seriously yet, which adds an unusual sense of freshness to a tiring genre. If you hate anything scene, you'll hate this. But if you're willing to lighten up and have a little fun, Kingdoms might change your mind on what it means to be scene.