 |
|
| Home · Reviews · Interviews · Contests · Blog · Forums · Follow Us On Twitter |
|
by Tony Pascarella Published: June 21, 2005
I've always had a soft spot in my heart for American Hi-Fi. A few years back, their singles would always mysteriously end up in music mixes I made, and they always struck me as a goofy pop-punk band that I could enjoy. They released their self-titled album in 2001, which spawned a huge single success in "Flavor of the Weak." They followed that up two years later with The Art Of Losing, which gave them another taste of success with the title track. The band's third album, Hearts On Parade is an extension of their musical talent, showing maturation as well as a more refined sound. American Hi-Fi Is: Stacy Jones (Vocals) Jamie Arentzen (Guitar) Drew Parsons (Bass) Jason Sutter (Drums) Songs like "Hell Yeah!" are about as tongue-in-cheek as you get. Featuring a slinky guitar riff, this song is so much fun to sing along to. Stacy Jones' falsetto is comical, but it doesn't keep you from enjoying the song. There are lines in there that make you wonder if Stacy's going to end up like Michael Jackson, but it's American Hi-Fi at its finest. "The Geeks Get The Girls" is another one that you can't help but love. A little keyboard work is thrown into this song, but it's the lyrics that stand out. Jones doesn't sing anything that will revolutionize your opinions on astrophysics, but this tale is an inspiration to all us geeks out there that yes--we really can win. The energy displayed on this song is incredible. American Hi-Fi's energy sometimes falls a bit flat. "We Can't Be Friends" is an example of that; it's dark relationship humor, but it seems to miss its intended mark. The guitar/drum pattern is a little stale and repetitive, which further keeps this song from blowing you away. A similar complaint can be applied to "Highs And Lows." It's really the only place on the album that I have a problem with Stacy's voice. It quickly grows annoying in this song, as it seems very nasally. That, and the weather report during the bridge of the song is just weird. I think the biggest misstep on the entire album is "Something Real." It's overly melodramatic and juvenile. It's lyrically fresh, but the song thematically falls flat on its face. I get that American Hi-Fi wanted to include a woe-is-me ballad, but this one is pretty overcooked. Instrumentally simplistic (even for them), the only saving grace might be Stacy Jones' voice. And even there, it's average. Actually, the song that does it the right way is "The Everlasting Fall." This one has a better musical dynamic, although the "shooting stars" line that seems to rear its ugly head in almost all of their songs is now made horribly cliché. One of my favorite singer/songwriters can be held accountable for the excellent production on this album. Butch Walker, who has worked with and written songs for Avril Lavigne and Bowling For Soup, was tapped to produce Hearts On Parade. There are very few problems with the way the album was leveled. Places where Jones' vocals should be strong, they are. When the instruments should command respect, they do. I really don't see how Butch and the band could have done much better than they did in this area. Hearts On Parade is extremely simple in retrospect. Hook, line, sinker, repeat. There's nothing remarkably complex about their music formula; it's the way they pull it off. You don't listen to American Hi-Fi if you're expecting an album that will be on Top 10 album lists in 25 years. You listen to Stacy Jones and company for a fun musical experience that will leave you satisfied, but never jaded. 
Recommendation: If you love your hooks, you'll love Hearts On Parade Genre: Pop-Punk Overall Grade: B+ (87%) |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Copyright © 1997-2009 Burlee LLC. All rights reserved. | Reprints | Privacy Policy | Disclosure | About Us/Contact Us | RSS Feed |