As the singer, guitarist, and principal songwriter for one of Boston’s catchiest and most immediately likable bands Pants Yell!, Andrew Churchman has clearly spent the last few years sharpening his musical and lyrical abilities, both of which come into focus on the bands most recent full length, Recent Drama. Churchman, backed by drummer Carly Smith and bassist Sterling Bryant, packs the album full of compact and precisely executed pop songs; most songs never eclipse the three minute mark and each one is as sonically clean and brisk as the last. While Churchman has a definite and established method and format to his songs (arrangements and textures are kept simple and static throughout most of the album), his songs avoid falling into formulaic boredom by virtue of their quick pace, tidy melodies, and lyrical aptitude.

Lyrics are, in fact, the major separation point between Recent Drama and the band’s 2004 release Songs For Siblings. While Siblings certainly had some pointed and nimble couplets, such as the curt “and that cigarette that hangs from your lip/I hope it kills you/because it kills me,” from album standout 'My Boyfriend Writes Plays', Recent Drama sees Churchman exercising his lyrical prowess at hopping in and out of emotions, situations, ages, and locations. Of these, Churchman’s strength lies in the ease with which he slips in and out of his own age; in 'You Want Trouble', he channels his inner second grader, threatening like an eight year old defending his favorite seat on the swing-set to “give you trouble,” but quickly then matures another 20 years to bring an almost middle aged tone to the opening lines (“when you’re lonely/lying in bed/thinking about the workday/bills you’ve left unpaid”) of the almost-prickley-if-it-weren’t-so-darn-bouncy 'Your Feelings Don’t Show'. The effect of this age-hopping is indeed a positive one – instead of expressing himself from a single perspective, Churchman is able to subtly bring in multiple views, looking at the life of an average young man from both his past and future consciences, and thus capturing the general feeling of being young, old, dependant and on your own all at once.

While Churchman’s lyrical input is no doubt critical to each and every song, save for the instrumental 'Our Turf', the songwriter would be nowhere without the help of his band mates. Carley Smith stomps harder here than ever before, alternating verse symbol splashes with chorus tambourine shakes throughout the bounding 'Our Weather', and Sterling Bryant adds perfectly churned bass lines on each song, not to mention the beautiful descending lead-in to the chorus of 'Kids Are the Same'. The band is, as a whole, remarkably tight throughout the album, and manages to fully flesh out and fortify Churchman’s sparse guitar parts with minimal clutter.

Essentially, there is nothing NOT to like about Recent Drama – it may not be the most exciting, adventurous or emotionally revealing album out there, but it showcases Pants Yell! functioning in their purest and most focused form. Sure, Churchman may be capable of producing longer, more dramatic lyrical and musical material, and Smith and Bryant may be capable of creating more lush and intricate backing arrangements. That being said, all parties seem to be aware that their band functions best when they stick to the crisp pace and honest tone they have managed to perfect on Recent Drama.