When twin brothers Jeff and John Fortson decided to form a punk band in their bedroom one night they forged the roots of Squad Five-0. After numerous lineup changes and logging miles on the tour circuit, they switched members and settled on the lineup of guitarists Kris Klein and Adam Garbinski, drummer Dave Petersen, Jeff on vocals and John on bass. In 2002, they released the self-titled "Squad Five-0" and did some more time on the road. They then headed back into the studio with producer Matt Wallace to record their Capitol Records debut, Late News Breaking. The title refers to a Joe Strummer song and is their acknowledgement that current events play a big part in their music.

Loaded with catchy hooks and grooves, they pull you in with their punkish sound. Straight-ahead guitar rock combined with catchy vocals and passion are the order of the day on songs like "All We Have," "Bye American" and "Left Alone." Songs like "Keep Me Up At Night," a funky mid-tempo song, and "No Heroes," an almost-ballad, show the range of the band as well as the depth of their lyrics and the vocal prowess of Jeff Fortson.

While it's certainly nothing notably original or unique, Late News Breaking is a very enjoyable listen.

rating: 8 of 10