The Ataris: So Long, Astoria : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

Neither angry nor offbeat, and offering not even the vaguest rendering of political thought, the Ataris are the embodiment of post-millennium punk rock. Forget disaffected youth -- this is the life soundtrack for all the dorks and losers who are perfectly content with their status. Call it emo if you prefer, but to the Ataris' credit, the indie vets steer clear of the standard "how to lose a girl in ten songs" formula on their major-label debut. And though the quest for more diverse themes leads singer Kris Roe to ponder the meaning of life, and even tackle the decidedly adult subject of fatherhood on "The Saddest Song," the Ataris avoid drowning So Long, Astoria in earnestness thanks in part to a punchy cover of Don Henley's "Boys of Summer." Of course, they also avoid virgin musical territory, but with competition like Good Charlotte and New Found Glory, how can the Ataris lose?

MIKE MAGNUSON
(March 4, 2003)