Lightweight Emo Ramblings
I can only assume that 'If These Streets Could Talk' is getting a re-release for the UK market as it originally came out two years ago and has just been superceded by the bands new album 'We're In Like Sin'. Just Surrender hail from New York state and in a nutshell they ply their trade through lightweight emo ramblings.
They set the tone from the first notes of album opener 'I Can Barely Breathe' with trademark emo guitar picking and it just goes on from there really. The lead vocals are fairly high pitched (Davy Havoc style) and although they alternate between bassist Jason Maffucci and guitarist Dan Simons this doesn't stop them from become irritating after a couple of songs. The whole album just smacks of unoriginality, in the better moments there are shades of FFAF ('In Your Silence' and 'You Tell a Tale' for example) but they are far & few between. Songs like 'What We've Become', the mid point ballad (never saw that coming) are very generic, mid paced and weak. As you might expect there is plenty of angst in the lyrics with the usual array of topics covered and they're OK, hardly works of literary genius but not bad all the same.
It does sound better when the volume is cranked up but even then it just lacks any balls or punch. It's all rather well done for sure but there are only so many nice harmonies you can take. There's no change in dynamics between songs, which means they all start to sound the same and blend into one. By the time you get to the next ballad in the shape of 'Is There No Truth In Beauty' you're ready to hit eject and replace it with anything displaying the smallest amount of energy as there really is precious little on offer here. There is small reward for those who manage to make it to the last track 'She Broke My Heart, So I Broke His Jaw', which finally hints at some potential with a bit more grit behind it but it's all way too little way too late.
The case for the defence would argue that this is competently played and the production (whilst lacking balls) is pretty slick. There is clearly a market for this kind of material and Just Surrender have already made great strides, particularly in the download market but beyond angst ridden teenagers it's hard to see how they can develop as a band and take the fanbase with them.