Artist: Hot Chelle Rae
Album: Album Sampler
Label: Jive Records
Purchase: iTunes

Overall: 7.5
Music: 7.5
Lyrics: 7.5
Production: 8.0 

Hot Chelle Rae are not afraid to say what they are all about if the first track off their album sampler is any indication. “I Like To Dance” bursts right out with slick guitars and a bouncy rhythm that echoes a very clear sentiment in the chorus, “I like to dance / So if you do just get on the floor / forget the romance / this is what music was created for”. This radio-ready pop hit is the anthem for every single hipster wall-flower to hit the dance floor and it works! shiny rhythms and endearing vocals help propel it to future hit success.

The rest of the sampler is filled with tunes that show off the band’s pop-punk abilities. From the falsetto led chorus of “Say (Half Past Nine)” to the acoustic love-lorn acoustic ballad of “Bleed” (which given the “corny” title and premise is a pretty song nonetheless). While “Never Have I Ever” is another showing of shiny dance-punk that shimmers and shakes all over the place with a catchy chorus and quick delivery.

It’s obvious that Hot Chelle Rae shows off a lot of pop-punk potential, while most others will probably lash out at it for being cookie-cutter and just treading familiar ground. Hot Chelle Rae are making their brand of music very well and are just about ready to break onto the billboards with their upcoming debut that will have many people excited for these dance loving pop-punk junkies.