Artist vs Poet - Favorite Fix [2010]

Genre: Pop Punk/Powerpop/Electronic
Label: Fearless Records
URL: http://www.myspace.com/artistvspoet
Country: Texas, USA

Pop punk from Texas. It's not something you come across every day I guess.
So what we got here is incredibly sweet pop(emphasis) punk that will make your teeth fall off. Both electric and acoustic guitar mixed in each song, very pop-ish built songs (with almost visible borders at verses, choruses and bridges) and modest use of keyboard á la Hellogoodbye. It's about the same style as Boys Like Girls, with the same radio friendly, MTV-esque sound.
Altough very catchy and energetic, it's TOO sweet. My teeth are disintegrating. But with producers Zack Odom and Kenneth Mount (All Time Low, Mayday Parade, Cartel) and Mike Green (Paramore), what would you expect?
I have to comment on the song Unconcious Reality, because I really like the strings in it. I haven't heard anything like that before, and it's fresh and unique to mix it into the song.
The album as a whole is pretty monotone with the same builds in all songs, basically. It's a little too MTV for me. I'd advice you to stay away from this unless you're into poppy mainstream rock.

Best song: Unconcious Reality
Score: 5/10

Four Year Strong - Explains It All [2009]

Genre: Posi-Punk/Post-Hardcore/Pop Punk
Label: I Surrender Records/Decaydance
URL: http://www.myspace.com/fouryearstrong
Country: Massachusetts, USA

Two years have gone since Four Year Strong released Rise Or Die Trying, which had incredible success all over the world. Their passion for what they make, their energy, the fact that they have the whole band singing and the way they make us see how fun they're having when performing is probably what catches ones attention.

For those of you who doesn't know, this album is solely a cover album. Many frown upon this. This is actually not as bad as you probably think, as these songs are very spirit-filled and each song has a very Four Year Strong-feeling about it. The fact that it took them two years to release this and not an album with own-written material baffles many, but for the true Four Year Strong fan this is no problem. Sure, it's a little disappointing since you wanted something new and not an album full of covers, but it does cover the most of it (pun intended). They do not try to mimic the original in any way. They play it like it was their own song.


A perfect choice for an intro song turns out to be So Much For The Afterglow, with it's I-want-to-dance-inspiring chorus. Followed by that is a true classic, and one of the only originals I've heard. Absolutely (Story Of A Girl). In this song you hear exactly what FYS is about.
Classic punk drumming. Four Year Strong-keyboarding. Blastbeats, heavy yet melodic. It's Absolutely (Wonderful).

Something that came as quite a shock was when hearing hiphop-beats and introducing Travis McCoy from Gym Class Heroes. But don't sweat, even in this song there are Four Year Strong-elements! At least in the chorus. ;)

I know a lot of you out there thinks this album is pure crap, thinking "Is this what they managed to do for these 2 years since RODT?". If you think about the album name and the fact that they have the band members as kids on the album cover, it probably means this is what they grew up with, what they listened to in their youth, and what made them into what they are. It's like an homage. I think it's nice of them. However, it would've been better to get new material but even so, you know they have fun while they do covers, and they do them damn good.


Best track: Semi Charmed Life
Score: 9/10