Cartel (Punk): Will Pugh (vocals, guitar, piano, programming); Nick Hudson, Joseph Pepper (guitars); Ryan Roberts (bass guitar); Kevin Sanders (drums).
Recording information: Treesound Studios, Atlanta, GA (2005).
Originally released on the Milita Group label in 2005, Cartel's CHROMA was reissued by Epic Records the following year, resulting in much wider exposure for the Atlanta-based pop-punk group. On this full-length debut, the band offers up an immediately accessible set of guitar-laden emo anthems, most notably the lovelorn "Honestly" and the yearning "Runaway." With its guy-next-door charm and streamlined sound, Cartel is ideal for listeners looking for a less-quirky alternative to Fall Out Boy.