Common
Rider - This Is Unity Music
Best Punk Hybrid Album (punk-pop, punk-a-billy
etc)
The following was originally published in our Reviews section.
Review by Greenmuse
Common Rider’s sophomore release is honestly
one of the best things I’ve heard in quite some time. This album seems
to have a bit more of a "punk" sound than their previous release "Last
Wave Rockers", but it still retains the ska roots and the message of unity
that has made Jesse Michaels(vocals and guitar) the legend he is today.
The lyrics are fairly straight forward,
but at the same time are written in a nifty metaphor laden style. With
song titles such as "Blackbirds Vs Crows" and "Long After Lights Out one
can easily grasp what Michaels is talking about, yet the songs also work
on a whole other plain of existence. Perhaps best of all, the album never
comes off as "preachy" despite it's social commentary backbone. Plus the
songs are all very catchy. Catchy isn’t a bad word in this case, if your
familiar with Jesse’s work then you know his brand of catchiness and to
use Martha Stewart's phrase "its a very good thing". This album lacks nothing;
I know that’s a bold statement to make, but it’s true!
Now we have the requisite Common Rider/Op
Ivy comparison, it must be a law you cannot mention Common Rider without
bringing up Op Ivy in the same sitting. So here it is for this review:
It can’t be done, they are two different bands, from two different era's,
sharing only a frontman and some of the same influences. I can only
hope Common Rider doesn’t go the way of Operation Ivy because I cant wait
to see what Jesse and company have in store for the future.
Its hard to really write anything other
than "its good, its good" like some kinda drunken football announcer, but
it really is that damn good. Fans from a wide spectrum of interests would
more than likely find something to like about this album. Needless to say,
I think I’ve found my pick for album of the year, unless The Clash reform
and release an album of the caliber of "London Calling" then there might
be some competition.
CD Info
Common
Rider - This Is Unity Music
Label: Hopeless
Records
Rating:  
Tracks:
Firewall
Set The Method Down
Small Pebble
Cool This Madness Down
Long After Lights Out
Blackbirds Vs. Crows
Time Won't Take Away
Prison Break
Midnight Passenger
One Ton
Toss Around
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