THE FATAL FLAW

By LUKE O'NEIL

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Fans of local synth-punks The Information, like yours truly, were stoked when we heard 411 guitarist Zack Wells had signed on with recent San Fran transplant Joel Reader of The Plus Ones and seminal left coast punks The Avengers, for a "super group" called The Fatal Flaw. "I knew I wanted to start a band with him from the moment I landed in town," Reader told me recently. Dave Bryson (Son Volt) and Josh Megyesy (The Burning Paris, On Fire) round out the lineup. I rolled over to Barefoot Studios in Brighton last Saturday to check in on the progress they'd made on a forthcoming album. Think the big melodies of Weezer or Jimmy Eat World, but with the traditional pop-punk elements twisting and turning on complex chord changes and inspired vocal choices. "In general, the songs betray my love for a big melody and my love for big guitars," Reader explained. Alongside Jared Marsh from Boston favorites Taxpayer, who spent the day regaling us with his uncanny Desmond from Lost impression, Reader invited me to lay down some background vox. The result: a few of the most, um, notable "who-who-ohhs" you'll ever hear. "I try not to be hopelessly post-modern," he said. "But they say to write what you know, and what I know about most is pop culture, rock music and being in a band. Three of the songs you sang on," he told me, were "'Don't Start Believing' 'Where's Izzy?' and 'Stab the Speakers,' and they all happen to reference other, much more famous rock bands." "Where's Izzy?" is the hit. It's a hard-charging but melodic lament about the loneliness of being Axl Rose, with big dangling open notes upon which Reader & Co. spent the day draping a series of rich harmonies. However, it was with "Stab the Speakers" that Reader and I came to a bit of a head. It's funny, he said, that I had to sing "a song about how much I hate Panic At the Disco when you in fact love Panic At the Disco." True. Embarrassing, but true. Although when he stepped out of the room I convinced the engineer to let me record some subliminal commercial teen emo propaganda. No one messes with my fake friends Panic At the Disco. Not even my real friends.

[The Fatal Flaw with The Great Bandinin, Emergency Music, The Sunsets Quick. Sat. 3.22 9pm/18+/$9. T.T. The Bear's. 10 Brookline St., Cambridge. 617.492.2327. ttthebears.com]