Nick Singleton, Author at Driven Far Off

Artist: Angels & Airwaves
Album: I-Empire
Label: Geffen Records
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: November 6, 2007

Overall: 7.5
Music: 8.5
Lyrics: 6
Production: 8

In 2005, when Blink-182 went on an indefinite hiatus and Angels & Airwaves was introduced, Tom DeLonge began advocating his new band by surrounding it with unprecedented hype. Everyone sat around and waited for what he alleged to be the “greatest rock band ever”. Needless to say, the debut was substandard and it did not live up to its claims. Similar to this 2006 effort We Don’t Need To Whisper, the sophomore release I-Empire uses prodigious and enchanting sounds, layered with an inclusive conceptual message. While the debut Whisper focused more on leaving one’s realm to find another, I-Empire concentrates on finding one’s self in its own royal domain. Although I-Empire does not completely miss the mark, its swagger consists of top heavy glimmering synth and an overabundance of DeLonge’s melancholy vocals.

I-Empire commences with an illuminating ditty called “Call To Arms”. Its industrial sounds and chiming chorus effectively sets the tone of the the album. “Everything’s Magic,” the first single, is undoubtedly the paramount song off the record. It contains ingrediants that suggest something special although, like each song on the album, it never fully peaks. However, slower numbers like “Breathe” and “Secret Crowds” deliver more characterization to DeLonge’s ‘person finding self’ concept, rather than most of his upbeat catalog. Other standout tracks include: “True Love” and “Heaven”.

I-Empire’s composition is sharp and its tone is invocative, but it never completely flourishes into its own. Although Angels & Airwaves don’t fail to impress, they fall short of further progressing. If you found anything on Whisper to be alluring, I would say that it’s worth a listen, but I am definitely selling this one.

Tracklisting
1. Call To Arms
2. Everything’s Magic
3. Breathe
4. Love Like Rockets
5. Sirens
6. Secret Crowds
7. Star of Bethlehem
8. True Love
9. Lifeline
10. Jumping Rooftops
11. Rite of Spring
12. Heaven

Artist: All Time Low
Album: So Wrong, It’s Right
Label: Hopeless Records
Purchase: Smart Punk
Release Date: September 25, 2007

Overall: 7.5
Music: 7.0
Lyrics: 7.5
Production: 8.5

Over the past few years, a handful of justifiable pop/rock bands have emerged from the scene with smoothed out melodies and rehashed musical crescendos. Although the Maryland quartet All Time Low may fall under this class, they simply do it better. So Wrong, It’s Right, the group’s highly-anticipated follow up to their Put Up Or Shup Up EP, is a collection of twelve infectious, foot-tapping anthems. Regardless of the fact that no one will confuse this album as something innovative, All Time Low does cash in on a scene that has continued to modernize pop music.

The album begins with a fast paced track entitled “This Is How We Do” which easily sets the pace for their Hopeless Records debut. “Let It Roll”, a potential future single, follows with contagious melodies and amounts to a luster of teen attitude, which also plays favorite to the group’s single “Six Feet Under The Stars”. “Six Feet” can be acclaimed as one of the strongest put-together songs on the album; the lyrics are well written and the chorus is strongly versed by frontman Alex Gaskarth. Other standout tracks on the album include: “Holly (Would You Turn Me On?)”, “Dear Maria, Count Me In”, and “Stay Awake (Dreams Only Last For A Night)”.

All in all, So Wrong, It’s Right is a vigorous batch of pop/rock songs produced by the household name Matt Squire (also accredited, Paul Leavitt). I’m sure that this album will denote some criticism for its generic sound, and it does lose some value because of this, but this is the album All Time Low was content in making. I think it’s safe to say, however, that these lovable goofballs have a bright future ahead of themselves, and I’m buying in.

Track Listing:
1. This Is How We Do
2. Let It Roll
3. Six Feet Under The Stars
4. Holly (Would You Turn Me On?)
5. The Beach
6. Dear Maria, Count Me In
7. Shameless
8. Remembering Sunday
9. Vegas
10. Stay Awake (Dreams Only Last For A Night)
11. Come One, Come All
12. Poppin’ Champagne

Angels & Airwaves – I-Empire

All Time Low – So Wrong, It’s Right