Goodbye Jersey - Entertain Me!
Whilst their opinions, messages and values might be impeccably strong, Goodbye Jersey's music treads an incredibly different path.
Hailing from Hamburg, the German punk-rockers debut full-length "Entertain Me!" proves to be very hit and miss, with the blunt lyrics often outshining the actual song structure and style.
Focused on society, the album aims to encourage people to get off their backsides and stop living their lives through television screens and the media, but as valid as the band's points are, the record frequently falls short.
The quintet can quite clearly play their instruments well, however the musicians seem far too content with following the same old pattern for the majority of tracks, resulting in a repetitive and predictable release. With shouty stanzas, group chants and fast guitar-driven choruses proving to be a very popular choice throughout. Opener 'Angels & Western Waves', 'Doin' Fine' and 'Kill Your TV' all being prime examples of this samey approach.
Thankfully there are a few hidden gems every now and again, which make things a little more bearable on this 41-minute record, with 'Minutes Like Bombs' Blink 182-style 'Why Desperate?' and German-spoken 'Zombie Shuffle' being huge highlights amongst the 15 songs.
Unfortunately though, as a whole this full-length is a bit of a dud, incredibly ironic considering the title of the release is "Entertain Me!". It is both disappointing and disheartening, as this band make such interesting and outspoken points, but sadly fail to back them up with hard-hitting and memorable music that will truly stay with the listener.
Without question Goodbye Jersey have got the potential to pen outstanding tunes, so perhaps the five-piece will take their album name on board and follow their own advice next time. After all, strapping lyrics will sound far more powerful and potent against an equally sturdy backdrop.