Can't Slow Down documents the origins of a very young punk band blessed with unusual talent.

Due only to their instrumental superiority, Saves the Day's subsequent releases slightly eclipse this 1998 full-length debut.

Listeners will probably prefer Through Being Cool's more developed emocore melodicism and highly evolved arrangements.

That's not to say that Can't Slow Down fails to deliver any of the pop-punk components that emo fans would expect from the New Jersey musicians.

Most notably, vocalist and songwriter Chris Conley's inventive lyrical approach is up to the high standard of later material.

Worded like journal entries and love letters, Conley's refreshing verses are free of clichés and predictable rhymes, giving an honesty and definition to his work that similar artists generally can't match.

Things really click on better cuts like "Always Ten Feet Tall," but for the most part, Can't Slow Down doesn't quite deliver the musicality that fans of Saves the Day might expect.