Gritty, working-class, melodic punk rock (that sounds more from the early-'80s Cali scene than its watered-down followers) abounds on
Rumors and Headlines,
One Man Army's third album. At their best, the band's crunchy guitars evoke
the Descendents or, like on the straight-up, singalong rock of "Have Nots & Heartbreak,"
the Ramones. But,
Rumors and Headlines is a little patchy -- songs like "Leave Me Alone" quickly fade from memory and the chorus and handclaps on "Casualty" push the listener's patience. Still, when
One Man Army is great, they're really great. "S.O.S." is a masterful piece of emotional
Buzzcocks power pop that would tear up the punk stage. ~ Charles Spano