Leeds has a history of providing the world with punk bands that actually know a thing or two about music--and have more than a few things to say about the world. Old-timers like Mekons, Gang of Four and Chumbawamba, shape-shifters like Sisters of Mercy and those that trended poppier, like the Wedding Present.

Treeboy & Arc Natural Habitat (Clue Records)

Okay, that was a long damn time ago. Treeboy & Arc remind me of a lot of those bands, but they do incorporate a pleasant modern bite with their snarky music. Oh, and the lyrics have bite, too. The music doesn't really reference anyone in particular (though it kinda resembles a meaner and more analog New Order without sounding much like Joy Division), but its droll kinetic lines are the perfect support for the sneering vocals.

Erudite sneering, if you will. Both clever and incisive, these songs don't so much eviscerate as they simply slice small pieces here and there. Sometimes they break out of the mechanical mid-tempo, but mostly that clockwork mechanic is the perfect driver.

But yes, most of all this hearkens back to the days of the first reaction to punk back in the late 70s. Treeboy & Arc honor the past and plow forward to the future. Staggeringly fun.

Jon Worley