Classic CaseTitle: Losing at LifeLabel: FearlessGenre: Indie RockReleased: Feb. 20, 2007Rating: * * * *

Local alt-rockers of Classic Case are back this week with their second full-length release, Losing at Life. Expect heavy, emotional, guitar-driven rock and roll from this Chapel Hill quintet a la label mates Gatsby’s American Dream and Plain White T’s.

Front man Jared Draughon is a dude with a lot on his mind, which is aptly shown in the title of the record and in tracks such as the bitter “Devil’s Advocate” (“Just admit that you are a hypocrite/ No I insist that you make me sick”) and the apocalyptic “All of Us Are In Danger.”

The straightforward post-hardcore sound of the band’s 2005 release Dressed to Depress takes a back seat to eerie orchestration and haunting melodies, unfamiliar territory for most bands Classic Case run with. But the rocking out is still there — don’t worry — albeit a little more subtle, especially on tracks “Unsteady” and the undeniably catchy “Scott Free.”

Losing at Life is a solid second release for a local band that will hopefully get the band members the recognition they deserve.

In case you missed the in-store performance at Schoolkids Tuesday, you can catch Classic Case in the midst of its tour at the Brewery Saturday with House of Fools.