Was it a dream holiday in which your every wish came true,or the vacation from hell where everything went wrong? The reviews for this album tend to be either utterly derisive and completely dismissive of its merits,or positively sparkling with effervescent,unwarranted praise. The album’s actual accomplishments are closer to the middle,with a hell of a lot of promise threaded through its songs.
Infectious melodies,deftly-crafted lyrical meter and bubbling retro joy fill the first half of the record. These songs make for the breezy little summer record I’d have loved to play over and over. The second half of the record ushers in a more sedate or even sour mood,however,to dampen the fun. It feels incongruous with the bouncy first half,and though actually (and thankfully) less derivative,suffers from the lack of a cohesive tie with the first half of the album,and a heaping dose of the humdrum. Quite frankly,from “Everyone But You” forward,the album is a bit of a snoozer. Sonically,the songs in the second half are okay–they just aren’t memorable.
Walker’s voice,featured on two tracks,is serviceable,if a bit bland and narrower in range than Ross’s voice. Ross’s vocals throughout the record periodically strain to reach notes that are just not in his range,and he doesn’t have a lot of power behind his voice. This is a forgivable flaw,or even a sweet little quirk with the bouncier songs.
If the band can keep the breeziness but wean themselves from the teat of The Monkees into more successful musical independence,and write lyrics that showcase Ross’s actual lyrical prowess and match the sophistication of their lyrical rhythm,they’ll likely approach a greatness the more hormonally driven fans want us to believe they’ve already achieved. The band is a hell of a lot closer to that achievement than the scoffing detractors want us to believe,however.
Final verdict? I have sweet Vacation memories to relive in my ViewMaster,but I’m glad to be back home in the present for the time being.
Stand-outs:
“Young Veins (Die Tonight)”
“Cape Town”
Stream the full album (for now):
* Spinner or AOL Music
Buy the album:
iTunes (with bonus track)
Amazon [mp3
FYE
Shockhound
Vital Links:
Official Site
Twitter
MySpace
YoutTube
