As we all know, music reviews are highly subjective. That being said, I am going to spend the semester reviewing, praising and (sometimes) bashing bands that have far more musical talent than I could ever hope to accrue in 10 lifetimes, all in an attempt to let you know what’s worth listening to on the alternative music scene.
All Time Low
Nothing Personal
Grade: 4 1/2 stars
It’s no wonder that a band that frequently incorporates quips from The Mark, Tom & Travis Show into their live performances, and whose latest album Nothing Personal was produced with the help of Blink-182 bassist Mark Hoppus, sounds a lot like their recently reunited predecessors. The Maryland pop-punk quartet’s follow-up effort to 2007’s So Wrong, It’s Right supplies the same clever lyrics and sing-it-out-loud hooks, but, as a whole, their sound has gone more pop than punk. There isn’t a truly bad track on the entire album — “Stella” and “A Party Song (The Walk of Shame)” are highlights — and with Nothing Personal, ATL has cemented their place in the pop-punk scene.
A Modern Love Story
The Greatest Night EP
Grade: 4 stars
Nothing serves as a better testament to AMLS’s readiness for their long-awaited breakout than the summer release of their latest EP, The Greatest Night. Hailing from Chicago, the group’s eight-track EP produced by Nick Radovanovic of Acceptance illustrates AMLS’ exceptional growth — both lyrically and instrumentally. Lead singer Travis Fabisch’s vocals have matured as well, as evidenced on “Follow” and the cover of Cheap Trick’s “The Flame.” Yet the group doesn’t achieve its full potential until the climatic, closing title track. If The Greatest Night is any indication of what AMLS is capable of in the future, their time is certainly now.
Therefore I Am
The Sound of Human Lives
Grade: 2 1/2 stars
For a band that proved its uncommon songwriting ability on the 2007 self-released EP Escape, The Sound of Human Lives — the first full-length release by the post-hardcore rockers — takes a predictable and ultimately unsatisfying path. With melodies buried beneath heavy guitars and half-screaming vocals from frontman Alex Correia for most of the album, The Sound quickly set its sights on mediocrity. Still, that’s not to say the record isn’t without merit; the Boston natives’ varied guitar work and sharp, popping drums deserve more than just a quick listen. The tracks “It’s No Wonder Why” and “No Face In The Crowd” are largely reminiscent of the appealing sentimentality of Escape, and they display another vein that Therefore I Am could’ve taken with The Sound of Human Lives.
Manchester Orchestra
Mean Everything To Nothing
Grade: 3 1/2 stars
At first listen, Manchester Orchestra’s Mean Everything to Nothing is louder, edgier and angst-ier than anything else the five-piece from Atlanta has produced. Recorded live, the record’s first three tracks (including the explosive “Shake It Out” and the repetitious “I’ve Got Friends”) establish the foundations for in-your-face, Southern rock ‘n’ roll. But, as the album progresses, the urgency of the first half of the record is quickly lost in painfully slow songs reminiscent of the group’s first release, sure to satisfy fans who enjoy the more mellow, toned-down side of Manchester Orchestra. If nothing else, Mean Everything To Nothing casts some light on the direction Manchester Orchestra can go in the future but isn’t quite ready for just yet.
Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage
Grade: 3 stars
While I wouldn’t consider myself a metalhead by any stretch of the imagination, there is something about Killswitch Engage’s melodic guitars and frontman Howard Jones’ ability to switch between screaming and singing that has undeniable appeal. I haven’t been a KSE fan long enough to adequately compare Killswitch to earlier releases — I only began listening after 2006’s As Daylight Dies — but the self-titled album delivers what the group is known for. Jones’ exceptional singing is what separates KSE from their contemporaries in the metal scene and made Killswitch one of the most anticipated releases of 2009. But the Massachusetts outfit did little to alter their signature sound, and Killswitch lacks the stellar, standout tracks of As Daylight Dies. Regardless, the album still contains 11 above average tracks.
Joe Pfister is a fifth year senior majoring in English and political science. Want to talk music? E-mail him at [email protected].
