'Keep Your Heart' keeps it simple

The Loved Ones use up to three power chords per song, which means they automatically qualify for the genre of punk rock.

This Philly trio recently released their full-length debut album, "Keep Your Heart" under the label Fat Wreck Chords. The members, Dave Hause (vocals, guitar), Michael 'Spider' Cotterman (electric bass), and Mike Sneeringer (drum kit) formed The Loved Ones from the remnants of such bands as The Curse, Kid Dynamite and Trial By Fire.

Hause's vocals bring to mind a pre-pubescent pirate: he's a young lad, but there's a growl buried somewhere in his larynx. Yet, it's the same gruff voice that gets soft in songs "Sickening" and "Player Hater Anthem."

The majority of The Loved Ones lyrics are probably inspired by casual hookups that involve temporary bursts of too much feeling. Even though Hause may sound like a lumberjack, he sings of broken hearts and helplessness.

"If only this night could last a little longer/ for now I'll hold you close and pretend that I'm not leaving," sings Hause in "Please Be Here."

The overall sound that results from the bouncy electric guitars and Hause's voice is abrasive. Obviously, having a rough edge is a good quality considering that punk rock was founded on rebellion.

Occasionally The Loved Ones will put out a song that harbors a confrontational tone, something quintessentially punk rock.

"If that's how it's gonna be...pump me full of meds...slide a little pill down my throat/ I'll try to keep it down/ or pull my plug and don't be frightened by the sound," sings Hause in "Living Well (Get You Dead)."

It's not that this song hates on Bush or anything, but it slyly comments on the desensitization that occurs in and around death.

Their most radio-worthy song, "Jane," resembles SR-71's "Politically Correct." It's got a carpe diem sort of tempo, and refreshingly honest lyrics, "see I've got this guitar I can barely play," sings Hause.

It's hard to trace the maturation of punk rock. When a band starts integrating more sounds, and experimenting with composition, they're no longer considered a part of the punk rock genre. The Loved Ones' new album "Keep Your Heart" keeps it simple with trite tempos and stripped-down vocals. They don't necessarily contribute to the scene, but they aren't trying to change it.