Long story short: The Audition is pretty dope. Buy this album. This is something you'd dance on your bed in your underwear to, but only if you�re a well-bodied female. Otherwise, put some pants on.
Long story long: This is The Audition's glorious release on Victory Records, it came out last month, and it's a gem. Think third or fourth generation pop punk mixed with melodic, danceable post-emo indie, with emphasis on the post. Each song is an excellent showcase of innovative vocal work and broad instrumental work.
You would definitely want to check this album out if you enjoy Tokyo Rose, June, Armor for Sleep, Fall-Out Boy, Lorene Drive, BEDlight for BlueEYES, Criteria, Jimmy Eat World, Veda, The Juliana Theory, The Receiving Ends of Sirens, Emery, My American Heart, Hawthorne Heights, Kaddisfly, Coretta Scott, and Bayside. Long list? Yes, because you have to admit �there are a lot of bands doing a similar sound.
However, The Audition really takes the cake when it comes to combining the elements. This is the best thing to come out of Chicago since Alkaline Trio.
Many press sources have hailed The Audition as "the next big thing." Most people will agree however, that "next" is not the correct word. Controversy Loves Company is no revolution in modern music, but it is definitely the torch-bearer for a strong genre. This album has taken "the realm of pop punk" and breathed more life into it.
On the depressing mood spectrum, I would probably say The Audition is less cheerful than Fall-Out Boy and Tokyo Rose, but more cheerful than My American Heart and Hawthorne Heights. The passion and energy, however, is off the charts. Danny Stevens' melodies are very convincing and alive, putting him up there on the list of most exciting singers of the year.
The guitar work is likewise alive and diverse. Timmy and Seth can play anything and make it catchy, with plenty of variation within each song. If you like the way the guitarists in Circa Survive and Armor for Sleep constantly switch between chord progressions and countermelodies, then you're going to appreciate the six stringing of The Audition.
And I guess the final question on anyone's mind is whether this CD plays well. Let me say that I've had it on repeat for the last 3, 4 hours it took for me to write this piece of crap review and yep, still incredible. Controversy Loves Company is definitely one of the biggest musical happenings of the year; this definitely tops the comment Jessica Simpson's dad made about her breasts.
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C.L. '05 |
