Five members. Fives songs. The perfect combination for an edgy alt rock group that got its start playing in a garage. …Or Just Don’t Go, the debut album from Colin Healy and the Jetskis, reads like a blueprint of how the band got started and gained a fan base through local gigs at high schools in their hometown of Richmond, Virginia.

The lyrics of each song give fans the opportunity to really get to know the band members and relate to the common experiences of lust and love. However, what makes the album truly intriguing is the fact that the songs have a strong emo slant, focusing more so on personal heartbreak rather than breaking hearts – a breath of fresh air considering the macho bravado of other alternative rock veterans like Blink 182 and Limp Bizkit.

Each song on the album is like a chapter of a story.  The title track sets the stage, with the breakup and the fallout the follows. “The One” and “Stars” represents the guy’s perspective and how he gives in to his emotions, “Taste of Your Lips” skews over to the girl’s perspective, while “Breakthrough” is essentially the happily-ever-after.  Not-so-ironically, it’s this happy ending that will most likely resonate with future fans.  Not only does it demonstrates the band’s musical and stylistic range (by venturing out from under the typical pop punk feel), it also brings to mind the angsty-yet-appealing  depths previously carved out by Dashboard Confessional and Lifehouse.

With pounding beats and souring guitar riffs that pull at heart strings, …Or Just Don’t Go is the perfect complement for modern day Juliets looking for a soulful Romeo with an artfully mussed ’do  and a gift for musical poetry.

By Erin McClary