The All American Rejects
by Keavin Wiggins
The
All American Rejects
Label: DreamWorks
Rating: 
The secret of the musical success for the
All American Rejects is their mix of two distinct forms of music; “good”
modern pop-punk like Jimmy Eat World and 80’s era alternative like The
Smiths or The Cure.
That formula may win you over or it may
turn you off; all depending on your musical taste. But when they win you
over, they do it in a big way. The commercial appeal of The All American
Rejects' songs can’t be denied. At every turn they are hooking you with
melody and you find your ears glued to the stereo waiting to see what they
will come up with next. Yes, it’s ear candy but damned if it doesn’t go
down great.
So what is it that that sets this group
apart from all of the other “pop-punk” and “emo” groups that are flooding
the airwaves with redundant dribble? Aside from the hooks and the
group’s ability to stay within the confines of the pop-punk formula for
the most part, they also have an amazing ability to put a new spin on the
tried and true formula with each track. But it goes beyond that, instead
of relying solely on the simplistic mix of fuzz guitar riffs and nasally
vocals, The All American Rejects step into the past and capture the best
elements of 80’s alternative with their use of keyboards, beat boxes that
sound like they are on speed but it’s Tyson Ritter’s vocal approach that
ties the sound to the heyday where John Hughes films were plying the airwaves
with classic alternative from groups like the OMD, New Order, The Smiths
and Psychedelic Furs. Ritter has managed to combine the vocal styling
of the before mentioned groups with the standard pop-punk slant.
If you loath pop-punk then this CD may
not be for you but the heart of the matter is the All American Rejects
go along way in legitimizing the genre and help to break it out of the
rut it’s currently in. I personally don’t care for too many pop-punk groups
and when I first listened to this CD I wasn’t prepared to like it as much
as I did. The heavy pop leanings here may be a bit too much for some as
well but on the other hand it may be the secret ingredient that makes you
an addict who can’t switch it off.
If you’re looking for something that is
comfortably familiar with the sound that dominates the Warped Tour but
also has enough of a new and different perspective that helps it break
it away from those other groups, then The All American Rejects may be just
what the doctor ordered. The bottom line is they are rejects only
in name.
.
Want
more?
.
Visit
the Official Website to get the lowdown
Hear
it for yourself Check out the All American Rejects player to hear some
of the songs and watch the video for "Swing, Swing"!
Listen
to sound samples and Purchase this album online
Listen
to the first single from the CD "Swing, Swing"
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