I Call Fives
Fans of All Time Low, Fall Out Boy, The Summer Set and Forever the Sickest Kids will definitely have a place in their pop-punk savouring hearts for the New Jersey quintet, I Call Fives. Though they are yet another band from across the pond producing the same old waffle about the trials and tribulations of adolescence, I've always had a sweet tooth for feel-good, foot-tapping pop-punk anthems. If you also have a soft spot for those, then this is definitely an album to add to your collection.
Every song on the record contains soaring riffs, catchy pop choruses and pounding drum beats a-plenty. Late Nights, Obvious, and Wrong Things are examples of delightfully delectable pop-rock tracks, and highlight exactly why bands like these have always been so popular.
However, there are songs that are somewhat lacking in unique characteristics to distinguish them from any other band of their sort. Tracks like The Fall Guy and Stuck in '03 are very reminiscent of the pop-punk heroes we've all been listening to for years; the anthemic choruses, addictive hooks, and the I-don't-give-a-crap attitude are the basic ingredients of pop-punk albums, and the product of this age-old recipe is always the same. No extra sprinkles or mouth-wateringly tasty icing. Just the same recycled stuff.
In all honesty, the upbeat and catchy songs are rather repetitive, but if this is your cup of tea then you'll undoubtedly love this album. One thing that the album is perhaps missing is a few soppy acoustic numbers to deliver the full package (let's face it - everyone's a sucker for a good acoustic ballad).
The album is full of infectious and enjoyable songs, but on the whole, the music itself is not particularly innovative and doesn't really stand out from contemporary bands of the like. Having said that, it's still a pretty damn decent album that certainly is worth listening to.