Even though the forgetters like their name without capital letters (our editor has a serious prejudice against bands that do that) they placed 96th in our Best of NYC Emerging Artists Poll. Their formula is simple: punk rock done well, i.e. energy, provocative lyrics and some memorable chords. Yet where so many bands have failed, burning their cookies, so to speak, The Forgetters have whipped up a pretty tasty batch. And they even made a baker’s dozen. Led by Blake Schwarzenbach of Jawbreaker, Jets to Brazil and a bunch of other bands, the band’s experience shines through in their tight performances. It’s loud, but not messy. This is punk rock with both a heart and a brain. While Schwarzenbach’s lyrics can sometimes be hard to understand (especially at a live show), they are earnest and intellectual, a good contrast to the somewhat aggressive instrumentals behind them. This is music with backbone, no bones about it. P.S. The band doesn’t have music online, but you can see some videos of their live shows here. – allison levin