Like Go Rydell from Orlando, You Vandal is rising out the same melodic hardcore/pop punk scene on the rise in Central Florida. Claiming to hail from Gainesville, this four piece isn’t anything that you’d hear coming out of Gainesville in the last 10 years, but that is in no way a bad thing. Instead borrowing from bands like Kid Dynamite, You Vandal sticks to their name sake taking cues from early Saves the Day with a little bit of New Found Glory thrown in for good measure.

They take a simple approach to the music with nothing over the top or mind blowing, but they let the melodies soar. Unlike Go Rydell there are choruses in the songs and the hooks are big. With a voice rather similar to the lead singer of the Gamits, vocalist Eric Cannon will have you singing along to every song by the end of this record. Very sarcastic and witty at times, Cannon has a knack for bitter humor. At the same time though, he can be brutally honest and completely relatable.

The record starts off with, in my opinion, one of the best songs the band has written thus far, “Cursed.” It’s more a song about mourning then being terribly bitter, but it’s the perfect opener. From this point Cannon takes you on a trip of bad break-ups and awkward situations. “Old Yeller”, a song the band has been playing live for awhile before this record was recorded tells the tale of a lying girlfriend. Cannon makes this song a personal affair by mentioning the guy’s name in the opening line. “Say hello to Tyler for me,” I think he was going for the jugular there. The snide comments continue in other songs like the soccer themed “Penalty Kick” and “Biggest Douche in the Universe” where Cannon compares someone’s life to a PG-13 movie.

“Get in the Van” is an ode to the open road and touring and doesn’t really fit in with rest of the subject matter on the record, but it’s still a fun song that will have you singing along. The record ends with the perfect kiss-off song “Stay Classy.” The only acoustic song on the record makes for a great send off that drives the point directly home. Plus the chorus will be stuck in your head for days, much like all of the songs on this record.

Stories You Can’t Share is a great debut effort and why no label has wanted to pick it up is beyond me. For now, you can download the album from iTunes and I hear the band will have physical CDs some time in the near future. Either way, get your hands on it. So far this year I haven’t gotten sick of it yet.