Artist: ActionReaction
Album: Self-Titled
Label: Equal Vision
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: August 22, 2006

Overall: 6.5
Music: 5.0
Lyrics: 5.9
Production: 6.9

Let me start by saying this is not another further seems forever album. I know the singer plays one of the biggest parts in making a band what they are and what they sound like but Jason Gleason, for better or worse, has left the further seems forever sound behind and approached “ActionReaction� from a totally different aspect.

I’ll be honest I do miss the ‘How to Start a Fire’ days, and so I was looking forward to something new from this amazing singer. I’ll just be honest, I was let down by ‘3 Is the Magic Number’. I was not let down because it wasn’t another Further Seems Forever record, because that wouldn’t be fair to ActionReaction. I was let down by the songs, for the most part they didn’t seem finished, they seemed rushed and very raw. Don’t get me wrong sometimes a raw sound can be a good thing, but it’s not that the sound was raw but they songs themselves appear rushed and didn’t seem to flow very well.

Before you stop reading because you think I’m a hater, let me say there are definitely good things about the band’s debut for example the first song “Sinner’s Algebra� is a wonderful rock song. The song is catchy without going overboard and accomplishes its goal. Another standout track would be “With My Voice� with its foot taping beat and catchy chorus. The record does do some good things, but just not enough and in the end a lot of the songs are forgettable and don’t pull you back. It’s probably worth checking out if you’re a huge Jason Gleason fan though.

Track Listing
1. Sinner’s Algebra
2. Can You Hear The Sun?
3. March On
4. At the Moon
5. Come See My Grave
6. The Exit Poll Amen
7. Contagious
8. With My Voice
9. The 21 Gun Salute
10. Have a Cocktail
11. Spark the Sun