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Review: Jack Foley
ANYONE who enjoyed the infectious indie-rock of The All-American
Rejects' shamefully enjoyable single, Swing Swing, should
rush out to buy their second album, Move Along, which
delivers more of the same.
Headed by the lead single and opening track, Dirty Little
Secret, the album is a breezy blast of American sounding
anthems that take in indie-style foot-stompers, laidback acoustic
moments and the sort of catchy campus numbers that seem tailor-made
for TV/film soundtrack compilations.
Dirty Little Secret, especially, is a near-perfect power-pop
single that's simply great fun in a sun-drenched American kind
of way.
It'll have you bellowing out its throwaway chorus for hours after
hearing it, while bouncing around the living room to its melodic
riffs.
Lead singer and bass player, Tyson Ritter, candidly admits that
he adopted 'the Brian Wilson approach to songwriting' when putting
together the album with co-songwriter, Nick Wheeler.
"This is where you sit with your feet in the sand and guitar
on your lap... except I was actually at the beach!" he adds.
The result is the musical equivalent of a day at the beach -
a lively, occasionally laidback, sunshine album that's perfect
for those long summer road trips.
Another highlight, Night Drive, follows in the same
footsteps as Dirty Little Secrets, emerging as another
guitar-driven anthem.
While Stab My Back is packed with power guitar riffs
and a slightly harder edge, given its angst-ridden lyrics about
deception and lost love.
It demonstrates the band's ability to mix up the sentiment while
still delivering feel-good songs.
The title track, Move Along, is another highlight, opening
with a neatly staggered drum roll and more vibrant guitar work.
It is a proper all-American alt-rock anthem that is sure to be
embraced by the K-ROQ crowd (or listeners of Xfm).
Yet Move Along isn't merely about the loud moments,
and both It Ends Tonight and Straightjacket Feeling
provide some wonderful acoustic moments that register just
as strongly.
They may be called The All-American Rejects, but you discard
them at your peril.
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