**1/2 Under the Gun

NOWHERE TO RUN

(Mendit)

In the fickle punk underground, credibility means more than quality, and definitely more than ingenuity. Elders get props no matter how shitty their bands are, and bands with phat in-the-studio poses and impressive "shout-out" lists have their names and logos safety-pinned to leather and bondage gear from squat to street and back again. Under the Gun are nothing special, but they're the kind of band all the kids tout at those Sunday-afternoon matinees. Agnostic Front's Roger Miret, Down by Law's Dave Smalley, and Civ all make cameos, and H20, Murphy's Law, and Madball get shout-outs in various songs. A bubblegummy hard-luck collection, Nowhere To Run, comes off as a patchwork of creepy minor-chord progressions sewn to de rigueur pop hooks of the "then she left me" and "life is hard and I have no money" variety, with "wows" and "ohs" topping off the melodically succinct chord progressions. "Radio Free America" brings to mind Social Distortion's "The Creeps"; the riff from Social D's "1945" guests on "Nowhere To Run"; and "The Mirror" borrows the lilting intro of Social D's cover of "Under My Thumb." "Southside Spring" has Under the Gun trying their hand at something similar to Rancid's "Nihilism," and "Nice Night Out" is a 50/50 blend of the Ramones and Green Day. Under the Gun have clearly done their homework, but they can't resist relying on cheat sheets.

-- Lorne Behrman