THE REUNION SHOW
"Kill
Your Television" (Victory Records; 2002)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
When "Kill Your Television" first begins, you may be tempted just to hit the stop button on your CD player and write the band off as spongerock. The opening track, "Television" sounds just a wee bit too much like an Ataris song, hence the instant spongerock assumption.
But, if you allow the CD to play, you'll find yourself pleasantly surprised to find a band that - while they don't completely escape the spongerock moniker, have enough originality and enough varied sound throughout the eleven songs on the CD to warrant a listen. Sure, it's all pop punk stuff, but some of it's got some real edge and some of it (gasp!) sounds a little like Thin Lizzy (especially on track 2, "Art of Nothing.")
The performances are solid throughout and all seem to shine thanks to the CDs brilliant production by Nick Raskulinecz. "The Reunion Show" stands above other albums of this genre because the songs are very well written (especially for this genre), the production is so clear and slightly bigger than life and, again, the songs are different enough that you feel like you're listening to different verses of the same tune throughout the CD's running time.
The best tracks on the CD are the above-mentioned "Art of Nothing," the lively "New Rock Revolution" and the intriguing "Alligator Love Trap."
You're not going to like this if you don't like the lighter side of punk rock, but - if you do - give the Reunion Show a shot.
Reunion Show: Mark Thomas - lead and backing vocals, guitar, keyboards; Brian Diaz - lead and backing vocals, bass; Derrick Sherman - guitar, backing vocals; Skully - drums and percussion, backing vocals.
For more information, check out http://www.thereunionshow.com.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2003 by R. Scott Bolton. All
rights reserved.
Revised: 18 Nov 2024 13:00:26 -0500
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