"Do you think vocal based powerpop a la Jellyfish, with more guitardriven rock such as The Tories and Marvelous 3 sounds like your cup of tea? Then you should put out an invitation to a huge tea party, 'coz L.A band Checkpoint Charley has the cookies. How could anyone resist the City Boy smelling 'Cardiac Arrest'?! or the beachparty rocker 'Bellyfish'?!......the list of good songs never ends....But you can play them over and over again without getting tired of hearing them. Listen to the Jelly-harmonies on 'Smile' or the bombastic 70s rock a la Elton John and Queen on 'Mother Veronica'- melodic heaven! A must for any melodic rock fan!" -Kaj Roth Melodic.net "Checkpoint Charleys Songs One Through Twelve delivers everything pop/rock fans cravegreat songs, beautiful harmonies, and hooks for days. Drummer KEVIN PACKARD (who co-wrote all the songs with Jesse Anderegg) does an excellent job not only on drums but also on lead vocals and guitar. Packards drumming is rock-solid and right in the pocket, and he never overplays the song. If youre a fan of the band Jellyfish, get your hands on this CD. " -Billy Amendola Modern Drummer Magazine "Checkpoint Charley highlight gorgeous heaven-ward soaring vocals, soft keyboard washes, lush guitars and even more angelic vocals! The songs are compelling and musically complex, often taking unexpected turns to surprise ears trained to hear the sameness of modern pop. Other bands that Jellyfish, Tories fans may recognize this reminds us of are Umajets and Tales Untold, for those in the know of these cool, departed bands." -Bruce Brodeen Notlame Checkpoint Charley is an LA-based, melodic pop band that rocks with the crunch of Weezer, the enormity of Queen, and the epic punch of Jellyfish. This is their debut "Songs One Through Twelve". "As it was with E.F. Hutton, when names like Jellyfish and The Tories are dropped as reference points for a band, people listen. Such is the case with Checkpoint Charley, a quartet whose full-bodied harmonies, dynamic melodies, and tantalizing chord changes will remind listeners of the aforementioned pop music legends. The Tories influence on Songs One Through Twelve is in large part the work of keyboardist, engineer, and co-producer Stuart Brawley, who also twirled the knobs on The Tories album The Upside Of Down, but credit should also be given to singer/songwriter Kevin Packard, whose lead vocals have a similar timbre and strength of emotion as those of Tories main man Steve Bertrand, as well as to co-songwriter Jesse Anderegg. Songs like the anthemic "Free," "Bellyfish," (very cute, guys), and "Heroine" are just what the doctor ordered, while "Cardiac Arrest" has the sort of whimsy that Spilt Milk fans will appreciate. Other standouts include the descending-chord ballad "Another Veronica," the sprightly "Go Away," and the very pretty "Dreamer". The overall production of the album is a standout as well, sounding very much like a huge budget, major label job when it obviously wasn't. Songs One Through Twelve is a very good beginning which will make fans of the genre clamor for songs thirteen through twenty-four." -David Bash Amplifier Magazine "WOW!! You definitely won't want to miss this one - destined to be a future classic!GREAT!!!" -Ray Gianchetti Kool Kat Musik We are looking forward to unleashing our buttery-smooth powers of audio-harmonic justice on an unsuspecting public; but it can only be done with your help. Are you brave enough to answer the call to pop? " The harmonic ideas are unexpected but not self-indulgent. The lyrics are easy to follow yet not spoonfeeding the simpleton. The harmonies are sweet but not sappy. The songs wear their influences on their sleeves but not in the least bit derivitave. It's what I hoped Roger Manning's new record could have been. It's what I hoped The Umajet's "Demolotion" could have been. It's what i think Steve Bertrand could still do if he really applied himself. What I'm saying is, THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IT! It's the perfect pop/rock record." -Glen Kimberlin Nashville Session Great "...there are some albums you just love from the start and they get better with every spin. Such is the case with this debut from Checkpoint Charley. I honestly can't remember the last time a disc made this immediate an impact of the future love affair that is seemingly impending. It might be too early in ownership to declare this the album of 2005, but all indications if it has any legs, is that this is certainly the one to beat." -Kurt's Krap Listen to our songs. Be our friends. Pick up the baton, march out on your lawn, or the parade might just pass you by!! Help us set the world free from the monotony of popular music.