Cigar
The Visitor
In 10 tracks, Cigar easily shatter preconceived notions of young listeners and long-in-the-tooth poonks, alike. The albums opening salvo, "These Chances," fires right out of the gate with singer/guitarist Rami Krayems strident vocal and Sortlands amphetamine drumming powering the proceedings. Headbangers can find joy in the brisk riffing of "In Armor'' and "Move On." The Visitor doesnt let up on velocity or honesty: No detours in the form of four-minute acoustic love songs, trite hip-hop beats or other sonic concessions. Cigar are skate-punk personified, with a well-tuned engine and the knowledge that in punk, only you determine your glory days. The kinetic energy coming off The Visitor goes far to reconcile nostalgia and value systems. The fact that it took 22 years to get to this point? That makes Cigar all the more resonant.