Artist: Every Avenue
Album: Ah!
Label: Fearless Records
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: August 14th, 2007

Overall: 8.5
Music: 9.0
Lyrics: 8.0
Production: 7.0

Earlier this summer following a string of shows my friends’ band emerged from The Wolverine State exclaiming about a group known as Every Avenue. Coincidently it was only weeks later that the news broke of the their signing to Fearless Records. Since the groups inception in ’03 Every Avenue has worked persistently to make the music they love and standout in the fledgling Midwest pop-punk scene. As it’s vividly shown on the band’s latest EP entitled Ah!they are the real deal.

Each second of the opener “One More Song” encompasses everything that a listener could ever want in a three minute pop-rock gem. From the driving anthem-like chorus to the succinctly timed handclaps, proving that there is more than one song that can be sung along to on this debut (it’s actually six). The single “Where Were You” is the standout track, and for good reason as the melodically gripping sound completely takes you over. The synth-fused track “Nothing” is all hooks and no nonsense, showing signs of influences from their pop-punk predecessors such as Fall Out Boy. “Picking Up the Pieces” showcases Every Avenue’s more gradual side, as the song keeps a bouncy yet mid-tempo beat.

The band’s sense of style and diversity in sound only continues, as they continue to impress more on “Think of You Later (Empty Room).” With its soaring choruses, mixture of relentless electric guitars and haunting acoustic; big natural drums and intangible digital beats. “Getting Out” bring Ah! to a dynamic close, as this EP serves just to give a taste of what Every Avenue is capable of. Building momentum and excitement for the band and their many heartfelt true-to-life song that can almost be heard on the horizon. With their debut full length likely to drop next year, we can expect not only a growth musically but in the number of people listening to that music.

Track List
1. One More Song
2. Where Were You
3. Nothing
4. Picking Up the Pieces
5. Think of You Later (Empty Room)
6. Getting Out