Review: The Starting Line – Direction

Jason Tate Jul 31, 2007

This summer reads like a pop fan’s wet-dream.

We find July bringing the trifecta of “must-own” summer albums to a close. For those who lean toward the pop persuasion, The Starting Line will come as a fitting end to a two week burst of purchases that is sure to include multiple trips to the record store in search of Yellowcard and MxPx. This gives you two full weeks to play both of the aforementioned albums – because once you’ve purchased Direction, it’s unlikely to leave your stereo for quite some time.

Drew Beringer Jul 23, 2007

Everyone wants to be a pop punk superstar. There are those who embrace it, while others despise it, but secretly wish to be it. With all the success that Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco, and their peers have had, it comes as no surprise that many new bands try to emulate it. All Time Low, June, and countless others have tried their hand at it, with mixed results. Enter Scenes From A Movie into the pop-punk arena. If you took Brendan Urie’s vocals and dubbed them over Fall Out Boy’s Take This To Your Grave, you would end up with The Pulse, the debut album from the quintet. What it lacks in originality, it makes up with catchy hooks, infectious melodies, and an energy many bands in the genre lack these days.

AbsolutePunk Jul 23, 2007

This is a weird album for me. I strongly dislike it, but a part of me enjoys it. Yeah, I know, it doesn’t make much sense. It can be described like an ex you hate but a part of you still loves. I’ve listened to Sum 41 for five years, and Underclass Hero is their only album that has disappointed me. How could I possibly dislike an album that has melodies that remind me so much of singing along to All Killer No Filler?

I’ve been anticipating Underclass Hero for months. Once I finally received it, I thought to myself, if only this could be the poppy, anthem-filled follow-up I’ve been waiting for since All Killer No Filler. I certainly thought so as the album kicked off with the title-track “Underclass Hero.” Filled with juvenile-themed lyrics (“Now it’s us against them / We’re here to represent / And spit right in the face of the establishment”) and a re-hash of the chorus to a previous b-side “Subject To Change” (Irony, much?), “Underclass Hero” left me with a constant need to look at Winamp to see if I wasn’t playing “Fat Lip.” The song quickly climbed the charts of my last.fm’s “most played songs” through repetitive plays. All is well in the pop-punk spot (a very, very large spot..) of my ears after “Underclass Hero” is over.

Blake Solomon Jul 23, 2007

I am nowhere naive enough to believe the words in this article will slow or deter June in any way. As my stuffed animal (a dog named Hank) and my comic book-collage mock me in the house of my parents, it’s hard to feel like I have any actual influence. This isn’t a question of power, though. Make It Blur, much like my room and existence, is ordinary. What a foul word. Just a few years ago this sound would have been dandy, even refreshing. But nowadays everyone wants “that” moment; the fleeting sensation where one can close their eyes and drift away from all things unattainable. The last thing we want is to remember how alike everything is and how it always will be. June’s new album is my stuffy bedroom, and I’ll be damned if I spend another day in this prison.

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Review: Yellowcard – Paper Walls

Jason Tate Jul 17, 2007

Let us face the facts: not many music critics want to admit to liking pop-punk. Not even I, the great pop-punk apologist, can say the negative connotation associated with the genre is undeserving. Think about it – from the young and extremely vocal fans, to the piled on guy liner, to the outrageous media stunts – it’s easy to see why the genre has become the leper colony of the music world.

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Review: MxPx – Secret Weapon

Jason Tate Jul 17, 2007

Without MxPx this website would not exist.

I’m not aiming for overdramatics to spice up the opening line of my review, I’m being dead serious. It was MxPx that pulled me out of my junior-high years of Pantera and Metallica. It was MxPx who were (along with Blink 182) one the first bands covered by the original AP.net. It was MxPx who, upon first listen so many years ago, drew me into the melodic world of fast drumming overlaid with lyrics mostly about (failed) relationships.

Now – almost 12 years later – I’m still listening.

This is a band that has been around for over 10 years and released over seven full-lengths, four EPs, three compilation CDs, and one live album; almost all of these with the same three members. They’ve written songs from each end, and just about every level in-between, of the pop-punk spectrum. Fast and raucous to extremely poppy – they’ve done it. This foray through an assortment of styles has left the band with a blend of fans. Most vocal are those who pledge allegiance to the sound of the band’s roots and have been wishing for a repeat of the Life in General and Slowly Going The Way of the Buffalo era. For me, my favorite song has always been “Doing Time” and my favorite album Slowly Going the Way… – so while I may be in the minority for having enjoyed all of the band’s releases, it’s been a while since I’ve genuinely loved one.

Drew Beringer Jul 15, 2007

Music brings out all sorts of different emotions in us. And when an artist or band can convey all those emotions into their music, something special is created. It touches you, inspires you, and you can’t get enough of it. Finding albums that can achieve this can be a daunting task, but with the (early, digital) release of their fourth album, In Our Bedroom After The War, Stars have damn near perfected it.

With previous releases such as Heart and Set Yourself On Fire setting the bar for Stars, In Our Bedroom After The War continues that progression and takes it even further. The chemistry of vocalists Tourquil Campbell and Amy Millan is stunning throughout the album, as each voice is always complimented nicely by the accompanying instrumentation. Such beauty is achieved on the track “The Night Starts Here,” with Evan Cranley’s bass grooving over Pat McGee’s steady drumbeat as Chris Seligman’s keys bring a sense of enchantment over the song.

Adrian Villagomez Jul 7, 2007

Before basking in the mainstream success that was Ocean Avenue, Yellowcard were just another bunch of underdogs plowing through releases and member changes. The Underdog EP, which features members Ryan Key (vocals/guitar), Warren Cooke (bass), Sean Mackin (violin), Ben Harper (guitar), and Longineu W. Parsons III (drums), will regrettably remain unexplored by more casual fans the band has picked up in recent years. But those who do take the time to dig through Yellowcard’s back catalog of music will be pleasantly surprised by The Underdog EP.

Adrian Villagomez Jul 6, 2007

The welcome voice of bassist/singer Chad Atkinson singing a cappella at the introduction of “The Safety of Routine” gives The Silent Game an undeniably powerful start. Atkinson’s vocals are so confident and adult that it’s hard to believe that he, along with the other members of Name Taken (drummer Bret Meisenbach and guitarists Ryan Edwards and Blake Means), were mere teenagers when they created the EP.

This trend of youthful maturity continues with “For Sunday” in which Edwards and Means shine. Ignoring the uninspired power chord conventions of their scene they chase each other across their respective fretboards forming tightly woven patterns to set the dark mood of lyrics such as ‘And God why do I blame them? / I’m begging you to forgive me.’ During the breakdown the guitar duo alternate riffs from the left speaker to the right culminating with a frenzied message from Chad made all the more urgent by the fast paced rhythm courtesy of Meisenbach. If Chad’s striking vocals in “The Safety of Routine” are the initial draw, the instrumentation on “For Sunday” is what leaves the listener begging for more.

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Review: Silverstein – Arrivals and Departures

AbsolutePunk Jul 1, 2007

To say I have a slight interest in Silverstein is somewhat of an understatement. It started with When Broken Is Easily Fixed. Back then, we saw a much more volatile band — perhaps verging more on screamo bands of the past like Heroin or Indian Summer rather than adhering to the number of other growing styles within the genre at the turn of the century. Despite this, there are some dead-set on railing these guys for various things simply because of their association with Victory. I’d love to sidestep into that crowd, but I can’t erase that feeling of “oh, this is something” I had when first hearing the song “November”. Come time for a third proper full-length, however, Silverstein are significantly more comfortable in the scene they’ve gradually become a staple within. Veering away from the seemingly no-limit hardcore the band grew up getting a feel for, they’ve instead implanted a sort of pop/post-hardcore venture within the confines of Arrivals and Departures.

Drew Beringer Jun 26, 2007

How do you follow up a concept album about a man losing his sanity and going on a killing rampage? Why, you write an album about drinking, suffering, and despair! At least that’s what Boys Night Out did with their third album on Ferret Records. The self-titled album follows up the band’s 2005 moderately successful concept album, Trainwreck, and it takes parts from that album and 2003’s Make Yourself Sick to piece together Boys Night Out. This album features the addition of guitarist Andy Lewis, the departure of Kara Dupuy, who played the synth and sang on Trainwreck, and the return of original drummer Ben Arseneau. What we find on these eleven Lou Giornado-produced tracks are intensity, catchiness, and repetition throughout.

Jason Tate Jun 12, 2007

Oh, how I wanted to hate this album.

After the release of their debut, All We Know is Falling, I sat back and watched this band become the talk of our little website. I guess when you have a large enough group of pubescent boys together, any female immediately becomes a discussion topic. This phenomenon has led to countless threads discussing the lead singer of this band (a girl for those not in the know) and her dating habits, relative “hotness,” fashion sense, and just about any other topic not related to her band’s music. So when this album arrived in my mailbox, I was, to put it mildly, not in the mood to give it the time of day. So I did the rational thing: I ignored it. I hid it on my shelf and pretended it never arrived. Didn’t even open the CD case once. Mature? I know.

Review: Straylight Run – The Needles The Space

Drew Beringer Jun 11, 2007

Straylight Run has always frustrated me. Ever since hearing those 6 self-released demos in 2003, I have been waiting and waiting for this band to awe me, to release a great record. But 2004’s self-titled release, which had a handful of great songs, was too produced and unfocused, while 2005’s EP “Prepare To Be Wrong” was a step in the right direction, but too short to have any lasting impact on me. But with their second full-length (and major label debut), Straylight Run have finally wowed me.

The Needles The Space displays the new musical direction Straylight Run have gone in. Instead of drowning their songs with piano-heavy melodies seen on past releases, they experiment and dive into using different instruments to create a fuller, richer sound than ever before. Produced by the band and engineered by Bryan Russell and Mike Sapone, Straylight Run achieves the sound they’ve been aiming at throughout their career. While some fans may complain about the production (similar to how many complained about the brilliant production on Thursday’s last release), it is the sound the band wanted, and if the tracks were produced anymore than what they are, I believe it lose the luster and impact each track possesses.

AbsolutePunk May 31, 2007

For many, the high temperatures and blaring rays of sunlight of the summer solstice mean a couple things: parties, water and pop-punk music. I know for me, many summers meant I would be riding around town, windows down, stereo turned all the way up, blasting blink-182 or New Found Glory. As long as it got the girls in the car with us or down to the bonfire, we didn’t care.

As seasons change and my age has taken me out of my carefree teenage years, I find summer lacking the same energy as it once did. While I still enjoy cranking up Enema of the State and Ocean Avenue on a crisp, clear sunny day, I find that my real energy comes from straight-up punk rock.

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Review: Cary Brothers – Who Are You

Jason Tate May 29, 2007

“Zach Braff-core.”

That has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? I think I may just coin that phrase.

The term is not only applicable because Cary Brothers (first name Cary, last name Brothers) has had tracks appear on famed Zach Braff projects such as the Garden State Soundtrack (“Blue Eyes”) and the Last Kiss Soundtrack (“Ride”), nor is it only applicable because my first introduction to the artist was via a karaoke scene in Scrubs (Season 4: Episode 4 – “My First Kill”). No, the term can be used to accurately describe the sound of the artists deemed worthy of its association. I think you know what I’m talking about — moody, emotional music — maybe a little too mainstream to be indie yet a little too indie to be mainstream. The kind of music that fits the soundtrack to a movie so perfectly because you can also picture it as the soundtrack to your life. It’s the music that plays in your head before that first kiss with a new crush, and the music that radiates in your ears as you walk home after they break your heart. It’s the kind of music you can tie to memories so vividly that repeated listens conjure the smells, the tastes, and the other sensory images of the best (and worst) days of your life.

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Review: The Starting Line – Direction

Review: Scenes from a Movie – The Pulse

Review: Sum 41 – Underclass Hero

Review: June – Make It Blur

Review: Yellowcard – Paper Walls

Review: MxPx – Secret Weapon

Review: Stars – In Our Bedroom After The War

Review: Yellowcard – The Underdog EP

Review: Name Taken – The Silent Game

Review: Silverstein – Arrivals and Departures

Review: Boys Night Out – Boys Night Out

Review: Paramore – Riot!

Review: Straylight Run – The Needles The Space

Review: The Swellers – My Everest

Review: Cary Brothers – Who Are You