Driven Far Off

The latest on the indie, alternative, and rock music scene including news, music, contest, interviews, and more. Best described as your favorite place to find new bands.

A Change of Pace – Prepare The Masses

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A Change of Pace

Artist: A Change of Pace
Album: Prepare The Masses
Label: Immortal
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: August 15, 2006

Overall: 7.8
Music: 7.9
Lyrics: 6.2
Production: 8.5

A Change of Pace are back with their sophomore effort “Prepare The Masses” and If you recall the bands debut album “An Offer You Can’t Refuse” you probably will get another bag of mixed reviews thrown at you with this release.

The first thing fans will notice on this release is the lack of screaming and a catchy pop sound rather then heavier guitars. Tracks like “Prepare The Masses,” “I’m Alive,” and “Weekend Warriors” are mixed with pop covered guitar melodies and sing along lyrics, not a dramatic change from the bands last effort but they did take their writing ability up a notch. “Shoot From The Hip” opens with a chanting of “Whaoo’s” followed by a heavier guitar riff and even more “Whaoo’s.” The band incorporates plenty of sing along lyrics and melodies that get stuck in your head throughout the whole album but it comes down to you liking their new style or not. So what’s the best song on the album? It took me several listens to spread the tracks apart but the one track that sounds nothing like the others is “Safe And Sound In Phone Lines” the last track on the album. This track is slow yet the band pulls it off somehow. The track has the power to eat into your emotions with both its lyrics and melodies.

So with their new style, is A Change of Pace heading in the right direction? That is a question only you can answer as this album is another mixed bag. The band shows growth in their writing and overall their style hasn’t changed to much. I mean, they didn’t pull a Finch, so fans can still enjoy their music somewhat.

Track Listing
1. Prepare the Masses – Download MP3
2. How to Rape a Country
3. I’m Alive
4. Shoot From the Hip
5. Weekend Warriors
6. White Lines and Lipstick
7. A Song the World Can Sing Outloud
8. Take Care
9. War in Your Bedroom
10. I Wanna Be Your Rock & Roll
11. Recipe for Disaster
12. Safe and Sound In Phone Lines

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus – Don’t You Fake It

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The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

Artist: The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Album: Don’t You Fake It
Label: Virgin Records
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: July 18, 2006

Overall: 8.2
Music: 7.5
Lyrics: 8.0
Production: 9.0

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus is a young new band that has pretty much came out of nowhere. Without spending a lot of time working on their band name, which by the way means absolutely nothing, you can tell that they have concentrated hard on their music. They are definitely a band that is worthy of a major label contract, and so far they are proving to be very sucessful in mainstream music scene, thus selling over 90,000 copies in the first month of the cd release. The entire album is full of solid tracks come together just right to make the perfect debut album for the band. Although I consider this album to very good, it is not a very original as in the style of music. The songs resemble styles of bands such as Senses Fail, Underoath, Hawthorne Heights, Halifax, Finch, and even Fall Out Boy.

The cd opens up with the hard hitting song “In Fate’s Hands”,which is a strong track which is driven by the fast drums and heavy guitar. In the chorus the singer does a nasty scream similar to the Senses Fail screams on their cd. The next track “Waiting”, is a good song but just all around reminds me of Hawthorne Heights, which is a bad thing, but at the same time I would never come this band to Hawthorne Heights because they are actually good and have well written songs. The next song “False Pretenses” is one of the better songs on the album with a very catchy prechorus and chorus. The best song on the album is by far “Face Down”. The band could not have chosen a better single than this. The song is filled with meaningful lyrics, catchy melodies, and great lead guitar parts. The next track “Misery” is more of a slowed down rock song, it is a good song, but probably one of my least favorite. There are also some other slower songs like “Cat and Mouse” with stands out because of the piano, and then “Guardian Angel” starts out the first half of the song with soft voice and smooth acoustic guitar. Also the band tends to pull out some pop punk songs such as, “Damn Regret” and “Seventeen”. You can hear Fall Out Boy influences in “Damn Regret” where the intro of the song sounds similar to Fall Out Boy’s “Grand Theft Autumn”. The other songs on the album tend to have a more hardcore sound such as “Atrophy” and “Justify”, in these songs you will hear a lot more screaming and heavy guitars.

Overall these is an amazing album. I myself have grown to like it more than I thought I would. The quality of the album is phenomenal, and it is mainstream and will be enjoyed by almost any fan of this style of music. I think the lyrics are good and the guitars are also amazing. My only problem with the album is its lack of originality, although I seem to overlook that due to how well the band has pulled off this style of music. A lot of the bands I have listed above they do sound like them or resemble them slightly, but The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus pulls the sound of their music off even better. Anyone who is a fan of this style of music definitely needs to check out this band.

Tracklisting

1. In Fate’s Hands
2. Waiting
3. False Pretense
4. Face Down
5. Misery Loves Its Company
6. Cat and Mouse
7. Damn Regret
8. Atrophy
9. Seventeen Ain’t So Sweet
10. Justify
11. Your Guardian Angel

Standout Tracks

  • “Face Down”
  • “False Pretenses”
  • “Atrophy”
  • “Damn Regret”

Over It – Step Outside Yourself

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Over It

Artist: Over It
Album: Step Outside Yourself
Label: Virgin Records
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: August 29, 2006

Overall: 9.1
Music: 8.5
Lyrics: 9.0
Production: 9.5

Over It is a band that many people have either heard about or listened to in the past few years. Now with their first major label release just about everyone will hear about them. Over Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s musical style has progressed every album starting from the fast paced â┚¬Ã…”Timing Is Everythingâ┚¬? to the last album â┚¬Ã…”Silverstrandâ┚¬?, which is more of a pop punk genre of music. Now the band has taken a whole new approach of their style on this album. They have taken their sound up to the next level. I will honestly say that this album is very main stream in every way possible. The songs are catchy with melodies that will get you hooked. The best part of the album is its production, with the soaring vocals, hard hitting drums, and loud bass.

â┚¬Ã…”Step Outside Yourselfâ┚¬? opens up with a very rock styled song called â┚¬Ã…”Think Against the Grainâ┚¬?. This song is probably my favorite song on the album, and reminds me of a mix between Donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t Look Down and Over It. The band also re-recorded the single from their last album â┚¬Ã…”Siren On the 101â┚¬?, which sounds much better now than the original. The vocal ranges are much better and the production as whole just makes the song even more enjoyable than before. Then there are the songs on the album that have guest vocals, â┚¬Ã…”Dishonor and Disorderâ┚¬? featuring Mike Herrera of MXPX and â┚¬Ã…”The Energyâ┚¬? featuring Sean Mackin of Yellowcard. â┚¬Ã…”Dishonor and Disorderâ┚¬? sounds more like a pop punk song and â┚¬Ã…”The Energyâ┚¬? sounds more like a ballad song. The album has the perfect mix of songs. There are the more rocklike songs like â┚¬Ã…”Think Against the Grainâ┚¬?, â┚¬Ã…”Your Songâ┚¬?, and â┚¬Ã…”Come Out with Your Hands Upâ┚¬?. Then there are some tracks that give Over It a whole new sound like â┚¬Ã…”Too Much Informationâ┚¬?, â┚¬Ã…”The Energyâ┚¬?, â┚¬Ã…”Mister Seriousâ┚¬?, and â┚¬Ã…”Feels Like Affectionâ┚¬?. The album also has the perfect closing track â┚¬Ã…”Like Satellitesâ┚¬?, it is a catchy closing track with some acoustic guitar in it and it definitely has a different sound for the band. Overall this album is amazing. With one listen you like this instantly, but with a few more listens you love it. It has really grown on me, and I think it will do the same to everyone else who comes across it. Over It has really stepped it up for their first major label debut with an amazingly produced album and well written lyrics for everyone to enjoy.

Track Listing:
1. Think Against the Grain
2. Gunslinger (Running Out of Time)
3. Siren on the 101
4. Too Much Information
5. Dishonor, Disorder (featuring Mike Herrera of MXPX)
6. Your Song
7. The Energy (featuring Sean Mackin of Yellowcard)
8. Lost
9. Where the Sky Begins
10. Mister Serious
11. Feels Like Affection (Turn It Up)
12. Come Out with Your Hands Up
13. Like Satellites

Stand out Tracks

  • “Think Against the Grain”
  • “Siren on the 101”
  • “Come Out with Your Hands Up”
  • “Your Song”

Monty Are I – Wall of People

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Monty Are I

Artist: Monty Are I
Album: Wall of People
Label: Stolen Transmission
Purchase: Interpunk
Release Date: August 1, 2006

Overall: 9.3
Music: 9.4
Lyrics: 9.0
Production: 9.5

With their debut album as Monty Are I and their first deal with a record label, Providenceâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s â┚¬Ã…”No Longer Localâ┚¬? band of 2006 puts Rhode Island on the map. Not only does it do that, but it gives the smallest state in the country a very large and commanding voice. The unveiling of Wall of People is sure to attract a huge amount of attention in 2006-07. However, because six tracks from the bandâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s previous release as Monty reappear on this 11-song full-length, it is questionable whether Monty Are I has hidden enough tricks up their sleeves to keep old fans entertained.

The album begins with a familiar song, â┚¬Ã…”Between the Sheets,â┚¬? which if you didnâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t know, actually has enough voltage to jumpstart your heart. Its persistent machine-gun beats hammer the song forward with dynamic horns and Coheed-like squealing guitars in key parts of the song. Vocally, it could be reminiscent of the menacing voice of Claudio Sanchez, except that lead singer/guitarist Steve Aiello sings with more vigor and passion. At the same time, trumpeter/vocalist Ryan Muir adds convincing echoes and harmonies to the mix. â┚¬Ã…”Between the Sheetsâ┚¬? stands out as being the most energetic song on the disc.

While the momentum created by the opener is carried through the next four songs, there are enough rests to catch your breath. Second on the track list is the heroic song â┚¬Ã…”Castle Bound,â┚¬? whose 8-bit Nintendo-style introduction and uplifting chorus enhance lyrics about rescuing a damsel in distress. â┚¬Ã…”Dublin Waltzâ┚¬? makes a big first impression with a momentous beginning complete with orchestra-sounding synth noises, which does not lose its effect throughout the entire song. During parts, this same song slows down to a quiet tiptoe. Also making its first appearance, â┚¬Ã…”Anchor and Hopeâ┚¬? does not leave the same kind of impact. Using the same hook and chorus with little variation, it strikes me as repetitious. Its redeeming quality is a short-lived electronic breakdown halfway through, which showcases producer Matt Squireâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s skill. Track five on the CD, â┚¬Ã…”O Brother,â┚¬? obliterates any exhaustion I felt during the previous song with a perfectly arranged bridge and chorus honoring soldiers of war, before cleverly shifting into a beautiful choir at the end.

Then something interesting happens. Some real maturity is shown with the story behind â┚¬Ã…”Island City,â┚¬? which acts like a slow intermission, and the following song, â┚¬Ã…”Metropolis.â┚¬? A connection between them is suggested by the reflective, piano-based outro of â┚¬Ã…”Island Cityâ┚¬? that makes a seamless transition into the more driven â┚¬Ã…”Metropolisâ┚¬? and gets repeated again at its conclusion. Unfolding a story in back-to-back songs, these gems might have given Wall of People a new facet, except that theyâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ve been heard before on The Red Shift.

With the criticism they could have expected, youâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢d have thought Monty Are I would have chosen one of their new songs to be their first single, but they did not. I would pick them apart for this, but for the fact that â┚¬Ã…”In This Legacyâ┚¬? is so damn good. The single has a similar tempo to â┚¬Ã…”Between the Sheets,â┚¬? however it makes use of a wider range of sounds and the vocals are even more powerful. If you only hear one song by Monty Are I, let this be the one.

Improving the value of the CD are three newly christened songs at the end. Yet the question remains for those who own The Red Shift: Is having five new songs worth paying for a full-length? While the answer needs ultimately to be decided by you, I will say that Wall of People is truly a significant album, cohesive from start to finish, and the freshly recorded tracks are just as masterfully done as the old six.

Track List:
1. Between the Sheets
2. Castle Bound
3. Dublin Waltz
4. Anchor and Hope
5. O Brother
6. Island City
7. Metropolis
8. In This Legacy
9. Just in Time
10. Tie Off Your Veins
11. Only the Weak

Show Review: Butch Walker and the Lets Go Out Tonights

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butch1.jpg

As Fast As, Boys Like Girls, Butch Walker and the Letâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s Go Out Tonights
July 28, 2006
Boston, MA
Axis

Boston was full of excitement on this night. I was running late as usual. The trains were packed with Red Sox fans. There was a baseball game going on right next to the club and Lansdowne Street was bustling with people. There are sausage vendors and scalpers all yelling. I canâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t even recount how many times I got ask if I needed tickets to the game. I just barely made it inside before As Fast As started. As Fast As had so much energy. Being my first time even hearing of them, they definitely caught my attention and held it. Spencerâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s vocals were strong and I was definitely impressed. Zach was crazy with his guitar and full of energy. The crowd seemed to absorb their energy and really got into their set. In between the sets there was karaoke. It was thoroughly entertaining. People picked songs like Baby Got Back, Material Girl, You Oughtta Know, and Donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t Stop Believing. Next up was Boys Like Girls. They are a definite favorite around here because Boston is their hometown. There was a definite buzz in the air as they hit the stage. Martinâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s vocals werenâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t as strong as I hoped but he was still pretty good. The stage presence of the band as a whole was amazing. They definitely know how to put on a show for their hometown. I will admit that I was dancing around by myself and cheering like crazy. BLG will do that to you. Butch Walker followed Boys Like Girls. Butch Walker and The Letâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s Go Out Tonights put on such an amazing show complete with amazing stage lights, back up singers and amazing music. Butch is crazy on the guitar and his vocals were amazing. The Letâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s Go Out Tonights were also entertaining to watch. Their two female back up singers put on quite a show singing and dancing, dressed in their 80â┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s attire. Butch would throw his pick up in the air multiple times and catch it in his mouth, hands, etc. Martin from Boys Like Girls jumped up on stage with Butch at one point and they sang a cover of Gnarls Barkleyâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s â┚¬Ã…”Crazyâ┚¬?. This night was amazing. One of my favorite shows of the year. I hope you all got to check it out before they finished the tour.

(photo from butchwalker.com)

Hellogoodbye – Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!

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hellogoodbye

Artist: Hellogoodbye
Album: Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!
Label: Drive-Thru
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: August 8, 2006

Overall: 7.8
Music: 7.6
Lyrics: 7.3
Production: 7.9

Waiting and patience are just a few of the things hellogoodbye fans had to go through these past three years. The band originally put out a free EP in 2004 and have been touring / writing new material ever since. It is only now that we can finally get a full collection of songs from the band. Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs! is the title of the bands debut full-length as they continue their fun and catchy sound while mixing in some more dance beats and melodies.

Bringing in the album is “All Your Love” where we hear a familiar dance/rock beat that we have come too know from the band. The vocals are done well but the addition of electronic effects actually drag the song on giving it almost to much of a dance feel. If you want even more of a dance song then “Here (In Your Arms)” is the song for you. Filled with full electronics and hardly any guitar/bass parts this doesn’t seem like the type of song that should be on this album but they had to do at least one with a full electronic feel. After the first two tracks I was happy to hear “All Time Lows” which actually sounds like a hellogoodbye track. Well done keyboards and an actual guitar part give the song a nice lift up to the standards we all expected from this album. “Stuck To You” continues with the full band sound this time giving us a funky intro and dance along guitar parts throughout the song. “Oh, It Is Love” brings the tempo of the album down on this mellow acoustic track. The lyrics sound strangely familiar but it’s probably because they are so easy to catch onto and sing. Now for “Baby, It’s Fact” you can take “Oh, It Is Love” speed it up and you have almost the same song. “Figures A And B (Means You And Me)” is a good showcase of the full band playing and doing what they do best.

When I first took a listen to this album I was pleased by its variety and different styles. After listening more I could tell what tracks were going to stand out and what ones felt weak, but that’s the case with almost every album. Overall it’s great to finally hear some more music from hellogoodbye and this album should please previous fans with its catchy choruses and electronic beats.

Track Listing:
1. All Of Your Love
2. Here (In Your Arms)
3. All Time Lows
4. Stuck To You
5. Homewrecker
6. Oh, It Is Love
7. Baby, Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s Fact
8. Figures A And B (Means You And Me)
9. I Saw It On Your Keyboard
10. Touchdown Turnaround (Donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t Give Up On Me)
11. Two Weeks In Hawaii

The Classic Crime – Albatross

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The Classic Crime

Artist: The Classic Crime
Album: Albatross
Label: Tooth & Nail
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: May 23, 2006

Overall: 9.0
Music: 9.0
Lyrics: 8.5
Production: 9.5

The Pacific Northwest has given birth to bands that are rich with creativity and never forgotten throughout the years (such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and etc). The Classic Crime is the next big thing to come from this region of the United States. Signing to Tooth and Nail Records, the band seems to fit in with their unique sound and positive/hopeful lyrics. The Classic Crimeâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s debut record “Albatross” was a hit in the first week amongst fans and is still going strong. The songs are constructed of riveting guitars, pounding drums, catchy vocals, upbeat chorus, and hopeful lyrics. Every song on the record can become the anthem, the soundtrack to your life. Whether you are going through a breakup, or struggling with an identity crisis, each song serves as metaphorical backdrop to your situation. There is a connection created between the band and the fans, and that is something that is rare to see in the music industry these days.

The first song on the record, entitled “The Fight” is one of the best songs in the record. It starts off with a repetitive drum beat with is joined in by the guitar works of Justin Duque and Robbie Negrin. The song is catchy and will leave you humming it for days. Itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s different, itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s cheerful, and it proves that The Classic Crime is a band to keep your eye on.

There is a wide range of styles of songs on “Albatross”. Some songs are fast paced, some songs are slow and poppy, other songs are just so amazingly written that they will leave you listening to the record over and over again.

One of the aspects that stands out the most from The Classic Crime is Matt MacDonaldâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s vocals. You could strip away the music from each song and just leave the vocals and still manage to have a great song. He doesnâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t just sing, his voice is harmonized and has itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s own catchy beat to it.

Overall, this is a great record that will still sound unique even if youâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ve listen to it twenty times. The Classic Crime will breath hope into your life and ease the hearts of those that think that every band sounds alike. The Classic Crime is something sincere, something positive, and something that you will grow to love from the minute “Albatross” is started.

Track Listing:
1. The Fight
2. Flight Of Kings
3. Who Needs Air
4. Blisters And Coffee
5. The Coldest Heart
6. All The Memories
7. Say The Word
8. I Know The Feeling
9. Warrior Poet
10. Bitter Uprising
11. We All Look Elsewhere
12. Headlights

Lucky Boys Confusion – How to Get out Alive

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LuckyBoysConfusion

Artist: Lucky Boys Confusion
Album: How to Get out Alive
Label: Townstyle
Purchase:
Release Date: June 13, 2006

Overall: 8.2
Music: 7.5
Lyrics: 8.0
Production: 9.0

Chicagoans Lucky Boys Confusion have chosen the standard rock route with their latest release, a five-song EP called How to Get out Alive. The boys made a name for themselves, landing a major record deal to put out their second full-length, Commitment. Despite how committed the guys were, they proved a bit unlucky when Atlantic bought out Warner and bid the boys farewell. So they started from the bottom again, turning out this EP on their own label. Considering this fact, production is astounding. “Cigarettes” has the catchy riffs (including some synth) and cute lyrics that make a great pop song, but has more complexities than “Hey Driver”, the band’s closest thing to a big hit from their last album. Overall, however, its disappointing to see that the band has shed one of its most recognizable traits on this album: their ska influences. Though often making their way only into songs subtly such as the “hey hey hey” chants on “Hey Driver”, the Lucky Boys sound has always incorporated some ska. Hopefully the guys bring back the twotone upbeats on their full-length due out sometime next year.

Tracklisting:
1. The Struggle (Getting out Alive)
2. Cigarettes
3. When Bad News Gets Worse
4. Like Rats From A Sinking Ship
5. Anything, Anything

Park – Building a Better ______

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Park

Artist: Park
Album: Building a Better _____
Label: Lobster
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: July 25, 2006

Overall: 8.3
Music: 7.9
Lyrics: 8.9
Production: 7.9

I’ve been a fan of Park’s dark pop since I got my hands on their 2001 release, No Signal. But as the tracks of this album cycled through and I hit those from their first full-length on my iTunes, it was hard to tell that the albums had changed. I only realized that Building a Better ______ had ended because I knew the words to the first track of No Signal and therefore knew that it was no longer just the deja entendu feeling but rather that I’d experienced at the start of the new disc. So? Yes, the band has a signature sound, and I happen to quite enjoy it. On the surface this makes it difficult to see that they’ve built a better Park and a better album. But on a second listen, you can hear the band’s more precise and deliberate timing and can tell that they’ve opted for a mellower sound. The layering of guitar riffs and rhythms is one of the band’s most interesting contributions to the powerchord-driven emo genre; powerchords have their place in contemporary pop and rock music, and these guys make use of them but do not rely on them. Lyrics are another strongpoint; though they convey typical emo angst, they do so with a poetry that is, for the most part, not trite.

Valida’s Editorial Point: Too often within the emo genre, I hear lyrics that are transparent – instead of hearing the struggle faced by the artist in the situation he/she is describing, I hear the struggle faced by the artist when he/she was trying to scribble out his/her thoughts poetically. I can see the artist opening up the thesaurus looking for a new, obscure word for “leave” or “broken”. These lyrics, to me, have in the writing process lost the feeling that drove them out of the artist’s head in the first place.

Tracklisting:
1. The Trophy Wife
2. Mississippi Burning
3. Who Is Aliandra
4. Angels And Errors
5. A Message
6. Chica Chica
7. La Amoureux
8. Irukandji
9. Intro
10. Hide And Seek
(11.) A Message (Hidden Track)

Gym Class Heroes – As Cruel As School Children

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ascruelas

Artist: Gym Class Heroes
Album: As Cruel As School Children
Label: Decaydance / Fueled By Ramen
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: July 25, 2006

Overall: 9.7
Music: 9.7
Lyrics: 9.8
Production: 9.6

Easily the best act on Decaydance, Gym Class Heroes follow up 2005â┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s â┚¬Ã…”The Papercut Chroniclesâ┚¬? with an album that shows what hip-hop has the potential to be today. â┚¬Ã…”As Cruel As School Childrenâ┚¬? serves up fourteen tracks of Travis McCoy spitting verses with more relevance than any modern day MC.

Donâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢t let the man fool you, though. While Schlep may wear his heart on his sleeve, heâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s anything but emo, though others may try to say different due to the bandâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s label associations. Touching on subjects like love seems to brand one with a stigma thatâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s become more and more derogatory as the millennium approaches the last stretch of its first decade.

Opening the album is the discâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s second single â┚¬Ã…”The Queen and I.â┚¬? From the first few notes of the song, you can tell that musically, the band has elevated to a level beyond that of their debut. â┚¬Ã…”Shoot Down the Starsâ┚¬? introduces us to something weâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ll hear a lot more over the course of the album; Travis sings with a voice full of soul, proving heâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s more than just an MC, heâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s one of the most charismatic frontmen in a group poised to break through multiple genre barriers. On â┚¬Ã…”New Friend Request,â┚¬? McCoy references the Myspace generation with seriousness, but more humor as one whoâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s ever had a conversation with him would expect. One of my favorite lines of the album is also in the song, quipping, â┚¬Ã…”On a scale of one to awesome, Iâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢m the shit!â┚¬? Heâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s quite the rival for Kanye West, eh? â┚¬Ã…”Clothes Offâ┚¬? featuring Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy could give us insight to what their own new album could sound like. â┚¬Ã…”Sloppy Love Jingle Pt. 1â┚¬? gives us some amazing spoken word parts that end up spread throughout the disc, and theyâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re just as intriguing as the songs. From here on out, itâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s song after song full of above average tracks that make this album a new hip-hop classic. Another couple of tracks that deserve recognition are â┚¬Ã…”7 Weeksâ┚¬? featuring William Beckett of theAcademyIsâ┚¬Ã‚¦ actually sounding happy to be making a cameo for once, and â┚¬Ã…”Scandalous Scholastics,â┚¬? a track paying tribute to hitting a homerun with a hot teacher. Solid gold.

Lyrically, musically, and passionately playing in a new class, it seems like the band has graduated from the gym to the music room. The one thing that stood out about this band from the beginning was the organic sound that stemmed from them actually playing instruments, rather than having electronic beats. Expanding on their sound this time, theyâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢ve actually added effects and some other electronics to their parts, but it only makes them even more formidable as a group.

With the potential for a mainstream hit this year, Gym Class Heroes could help re-take hip-hop to a place without bling, bitchez, and hos. Please, give the world a Gym Class Heroes and Atmosphere tour. Theyâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢re doing it right.

Track Listing
1. 1st Period: The Queen And I
2. 2nd Period: Shoot Down The Stars
3. 3rd Period: New Friend Request
4. 4th Period: Clothes Off!
5. Lunch: Sloppy Love Jingle
6. 6th Period: Viva La White Girl
7. 7th Period: 7 Weeks
8. 8th Period: It’s OK, But Just This Once!
9. Study Hall: Sloppy Love Jingle Part 2
10. 10th Period: Biters Block
11. Yearbook Club: Boys In Bands
12. 12th Period: Scandalous Scholastics
13. 13th Period: On My Own Time (Write On!)
14. Detention: Sloppy Love Jingle Part 3