On Making Out, the opening track of their brand-new second LP Allergic To Love, Ontario’s The Mcbains borrow so shamelessly from Punk Rock Confidential by The Queers and California Sun in true Ramones fashion that their lawyers have only one defense left: these crimes were committed entirely out of love.

It’s far from the only nod to their pop punk heroes. The Mcbains blast through 13 songs in barely 25 minutes, and every second feels like a love letter to a very specific corner of punk rock. Having Jimmy Vapid behind the recording desk and cheering the band on certainly doesn’t hurt either.

The thing about great Ramonescore is that it looks deceptively simple. Three chords or less, a buzzsaw guitar, a “hey-ho” here, a “whoa-oh” there, and you’re off. But writing songs that explode out of the speakers, stick after a single listen, and leave you reaching for the repeat button before you’ve caught your breath? That’s the hard part, and The Mcbains make it sound easy.

Song by song, they win you over. Before long, you’re not keeping score of the references anymore. You’re just singing along.

Allergic To Love is out now on LP through Faster and Louder Records.

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