Naples, Fla. based Fake Problems made quite a splash on their SideOneDummy debut – last year’s It’s Great to Be Alive – by introducing the country to their brand of fiery, high-energy, folk-punk. However, Real Ghosts Caught On Tape finds Chris Farren & Co. abandoning floor-shaking anthems like “Alligator Assassinator” and “Level With the Devil” for more subdued, straight-ahead rock tunes like “ADT,” “While Lies,” and “Songs For Teenagers.” Farren’s unique growl does make a few appearances, but this 11-track, 38-minute offering mostly finds the band experimenting with a wider range of sounds.

They were recently covered by labelmates, The Gaslight Anthem (who went on their very first tour with the quartet), so it’s not very surprising to hear some of Brian Fallon’s trademark storytelling channel itself through Farren’s voice on “RSVP” and “The Magazine” when he delivers the tale of a homebound recluse that doesn’t want to be seen in public. While Farren and Fallon may share a knack for telling tales, Fake Problems don’t let themselves get caught in the monotonous vibe that sometimes plagues Gaslight records.

Album closer, “Ghost to Coast,” is slow self examination that catches Fallen admitting to “a lack of motivation/a lapse in ambition” before revealing that he’s “fallen by the wayside of pretentious young writers looking for motivation.” He also tells us, “it’s an awful sinking feeling/when your own heart starts stealing reason from the mind.” Casey Lee’s slinking guitar lines and rich tone dance on top of sparse percussion provided by Sean Stevenson, and the song is a testament to the fact that – for better, or worse – Fake Problems are committed to being true to the direction their muse is taking them.

Lee, bassist Derek Perry, and Stevenson lay down one of the band’s most hip-shake worthy tunes as Fallen pleasantly tries his hand at falsetto on the dancey “5678,”and while some tunes may disappoint fans of Alive, Fake Problems still manage to update their manic, party vibe on songs like “Soulless.”

The album’s bouncy lead single opens with female harmonies and finds Fallen singing a lyric that could directly address the complaints from disgruntled fans who want the band to keep writing the same crazy songs over and over again. “I may not have the same kick/as some of the other spices,” he sings, “but I’m burning up inside and I am still losing my mind…take me home.”