Lola Ray are the premier act of DC Flag, the new label from Good Charlotte Bros. Joel and Benji Madden — but don’t think they’re just another bad pop-punk knockoff. Quite the contrary, they’re actually a pretty decent pop-punk knockoff. On their accomplished debut, the New York–via–Orange County foursome pull off what even their bosses often can’t, combining bittersweet melodies with swagger and unblinking conviction. This is largely thanks to singer John Balicanta, who slithers chameleonlike from sexy (the strutting “Automatic Girl”) to fragile (the back-seat anthem “Charlit Movie Star”) to pissed-off (the Strokes-y “What It Feels Like”). The coup is that he’s never whiny — and more importantly, never dull. Maybe Joel and Benji should be taking notes.

DOWNLOAD THESE “What It Feels Like,” “Automatic Girl”