It would be very easy to throw Halifax into the pop-punk landfill that record labels have been dumping bands into for the past few years, especially considering the band just re-released it's originally independently released E.P., A Writer's Reference on Drive-Thru Records, a pop-punk breeding ground.

Although aspects of A Writer's Reference are reminiscent of a lot of the other punk-inspired rock bands that are emerging these days. The difference with Halifax is that the songs are good, the lyrics work well and it has a sound of its own.

The E.P. begins with "Sydney," one of the harder tracks, and arguably the catchiest of the E.P.'s seven songs. Halifax serves up an acoustic version of the track at the end of the E.P., which shows that great songs can be played multiple ways and still sound great.

"A Writer's Reference," "I Hate Your Eyes" and "Broken Glass Syndrome" are emotional bursts of power-punk energy, highlighted by Mike Hunau's not too whiny, not too screamy vocals.

The future of Halifax, however, rests on songs such as the acoustic, eerie "Scarlet Letter Part 2," and the epic "The Next Two Weeks," as these songs, more than the others, show the band's diversity.

This will be very important as the band records its full-length album, in order to break up the monotony that so often clouds the punk genre.

All in all, A Writer's Reference works. Halifax offers a tight little helping of emo/punk without trying too hard or deliberately following trends.

Halifax could teach those boys in Good Charlotte and Simple Plan a thing or two.

-- Reviewed by Brandon Linton