I always enjoy a single where the B-side steals attention. Here on the new O’ Pioneers/Junior Battles split seven-inch, both artists blaze similar trails, but B-siders and A-side backup band Junior Battles steal the show completely.

With O’ Pioneers, front man Eric Solomon belts his scratchy vocal chords, attempting to tear into the adolescent emotional fervor, but instead ends up seeming like a reference instead of a realization. I never feel the emotion, but I’m aware he wants me to. This is the crux of pop-punk music as well — we’ll forgive repetitive sound, clichéd lyrics and all the rest in favor of a relatable feeling. For all his trying, and the skillful playing by Junior Battles — I just don’t feel it in this track.

However, flipping the record over to reveal Junior Battles’ “Passing Out” feels like an epiphany. This is the track the first one wanted to be. The catchy refrain of, “On paper, the distance doesn’t seem that bad” is irresistible. Of course, it’s not the most revelatory line in music, but that doesn’t matter. The way it’s sung, in dueling projection, feels powerful, sending odes to the ‘90s emo-punk scene perfectly, while magically avoiding feeling stale. A big part of that freshness is thanks to the bands skillful playing, employing all manner of music tricks whenever the song threatens to grow stale. And like all good pop-punk songs it clashes to an end and suddenly leaves you sitting there, wanting to hear it 10 more times.

(Kiss of Death Records, PO Box 75550, Tampa, FL 33675)