Review 1 of 1

hasna writes:

4of 5 Stars

Move Along is one of my favorite albums of the past couple of years. The album is packed with head-banging, rocking-out,sing-a-long, high-energy, jump-up-and-down-until-you-have-a-headache type of songs. The only songs on the album that could be considered missteps are "Straightjacket Feeling" and "Can't Take It", although they shouldn't be considered missteps considering that they don't have a noticeably bad effect on the album or slow it down too much.

The Rejects have made some major improvements in their sound since their first album. While their self-titled first album lacks a central focus, Move Along is the polished product of experience, and perhaps a bigger studio budget. Move Along shows The All American Rejects emerging as a credible rock band.

The album's opener, "Night Drive", is a "I'm leaving and i'm not looking back" sort of song, but it certainly does good to somewhat cliche subject. With constant, hard, drumming and complementary electric guitar to the chant "Even if you got down on your knees you couldn't make me stay", it is undoubtedly one of the best on the album. "Change your mind" is a catchy,rhythmic, sing-a-long song. The album reaches its highest point right in the middle. Track six, "Top Of The World" can be taken as a cautionary tale of someone who is on top of their game, but remain unsatisfied, wanting more and more. Other great tracks include: "Dance Inside", "It Ends Tonight", and "Stab My Back".

So why don't The All American Rejects get the respect they deserve?

Well, The All American Rejects are a band trying to get noticed in a time where hundreds of other rock/pop and punk/emo bands are doing the same. It's pretty easy to get lost in the mix, especially when you don't have a carefully self-cultivated band-image to divide you from the pack. Bands these days all seem to spend as much time crafting their self-image as doing what their first priority should be: to make great rock music. Although these bands definitely have their good song or two, it seems more daring to go out in the jungle of rock band music with no other weapon than your music. The All American Rejects have no band persona, no split-personality lead singer. If you ask anyone what they think of them, they probably won't think of the band themselves, they are more likely to say they like their radio hits "Move Along" or "Dirty Little Secret". Or they might say they've seen them play or been to a concert. Of course, instead of wasting your time trying to make good music,you could use your time devising a twisted plan to get noticed that includes more important things, like your rock-esq. wardrobe, onstage make-up,and trying to come up with as many weird/quirky/cute quotes you can squeeze into a three minute song. Call me crazy, but bands these days, with ten-word song titles,random names,and odd behavior seem a bit pretentious and therefore completely uninteresting. These rock bands will and are trying everything to get heard and have forgotten about the music. The All American Rejects are keeping it alive.

Feb 21, 2007 13:56:06