This is a review of "Just Say Go" recorded by Jon Doe's. The review was written by Paul Geary in 2003.

The Jon Doe's have been around for a while now - they're a 4-piece emo/melodic punk outfit from Leeds/Bradford - you've probably heard the name but never seen the band... After playing with these lads at a shitty venue in Leicester (no names *cough* The Attic) I was passed their new EP. To be honest as first impressions go I thought this was really going to be poor, after the crap performance at Leicester (which in retrospect probably could be blamed on the terrible sound, apathetic crowd and poo weather) I wasn't convinced this was going to be any good. After the first listen my mind was changed.

Let me get one thing straight, I am not a fan of Emo, come to think of it annoys me ... really annoys me. But the driving guitars, great melodies and some really hooky vocal harmonies began to change my opinion (well a bit anyway). Best songs - "Sam Jerome" and "Game Over London" - atmospheric, dark, not unlike the bastard son of a poppier Thrice and an emo Rise against. Worse moment: Fake telephone message of a relationship breakup in "Mr Nice Guy", totally cheesy ruins an Ok Song.

Overall it's got the majority of the ingredients that make this genre popular: chuggy guitars, heartfelt lyrics, and a great production. If you're a fan of this genre this would make a great listen, probably more for the rucksack and baseball cap crew rather than the mardy Discharge fan.

If this EP were a food dish it would probably be a pepperoni pizza: spicy in parts but not without the cheese.