You Heard Me Right

I have been looking forward to this CD for something of a year. I have always been a pretty big ADTR fan, and I think Homesick was the best album of last year. Without further adieu, here is the review for What Separates Me From You.

The first track, Sticks & Bricks, is the I’m Made Of Wax, Larry opening that everyone loves. He starts off with a menacing series of screams, breaks into the melodic chorus, staying with the pop-punk meets hardcore beat behind him the entire time. This track makes me hopeful already.

The next track and the first single from this album, All I Want, is the cry for help by the lead singer. The constant touring and heartbreak that influences the lyrics of the song make this so worthwhile. If you’ve heard the single version of this song, here the album version too. They sound slightly different, and I like the album version better. Just do it, you won’t regret it.

The third track, It’s Complicated, sounds like Motion City Soundtrack song meets emo. I, being a ecstatic MCS fan that I say I am, I love it. It’s a great way to keep the CD alive. I love the short but sweet breakdown they have in the middle/end of the song.

Track de four, The House The Doubt Built, sounds like a heavily influenced Story of the Year cover band. Not that it’s a bad thing, but definitely not ADTR(which, if you’re not informed, ADTR=A Day To Remember)style. Oh well, if the next track is screams, I will love it.

The fifth track on the CD, 2nd Sucks, is just what the hardcore junkies needed. Not a note uttered from his mouth, just his low-pitched screams about cutting the haters down. Any pissed off pubescent poet could write a song like this, but perform it the way he did? No. That would be absurd.

The sixth track, Better Off This Way, is a poppier, more mellow, and slightly promising in a bitter-sweet nature. I will say this: His voice is is out of place in this frat-boy anthem. It sounds like he’s trying out to be the next Four Year Strong vocalist. I like the song and can see it as a second single by them, but it’s not my favorite track on the CD. 

The seventh track of the CD, All Signs Point To Lauterdale, is All Time Low meets the softer music of Bullet for my Valentine. Let’s just say this: If Justin Bieber learned how to say the f-bomb, this would be the guy/emo version. It’s a teen-like song about getting of town. It’s not debatable if this is forgivable. This makes me wanna puke out of a ten story window. I’m not kidding, I think my crap makes better lyrics than this. If ADTR plans to make better music, DO NOT SCREW UP LIKE THIS AGAIN. Please, I’m begging you. STOP DOING THIS CRAP. It’s not even considered music. It may be complete trash. Actually, this makes trash look like the freaking Beatles compared to this. If you have the misfortune of ever having this bull pierce your ear drums and flow into your brain, please wear earplugs. This is horrible. With respect to the band, this may be the worst song I’ve heard in a long time. This song made this CD a lot less likeable in every way possible. I’m not Joshing you. This is the equivalent of the Imperial Stars(if you don’t know them, Youtube them. They’re atrocious.)gone pop-punk. All Time Low just took a dump on this song while you were reading this. They also wiped with the album cover. It’s that bad. It is the one song I wish was written on the Titanic and sunk with it. There. I hate it that much. But hopefully the next song will try to redeem the awfulness of this song. I barfed. It’s everywhere. Ew. 

Track numero eight, You Be Tails, I’ll Be Sonic, is amazing. Just plain out awesome. It’s the sad hardcore we’ve been waiting for. As Jeremy sings “I’m tired, so let me broken”, the rest of the band breaks down. And he takes an Emmure talk-scream approach right in the big breakdown of the song. This is extremely impressive. If Whitechapel met a melodic singer, this is what it would turn out to be.

The next to last track of the album, Out Of Time, is a complaint about being sober, sad, and having second opinions about everything. It’s a hopeful sounding song until you listen to the lyrics. I’d trade this song for All Signs Point To Lauterdale any day, but as the next to last track, this album feels a little incomplete, and it needs spaces to fill the holes. I have no problem with the poppy approach to the album, but the songs lack a lot of things in them. 

The big finale of What Separates Me From You, If I Leave, is an appropriate finish to this album: Go out with a bang. It’s emo-pop, with the beginning of the song starting out with a scream, leading to his melodic sing-a-long voice. He sings about questioning if he leaves the girl(I think it’s his ex), would she move too? It’s worth the album. Though, if you make me listen to All Signs Point To Lauterdale ever again, I will choke an Indonesian baby.

MY VERDICT: 6.5/10

It doesn’t live up to the hype and potential given to it from Homesick and the band themselves. I was a little disappointed, but there are a few great and generally awesome songs on here. But, if All Signs Point To Lauterdale is a hit, there is gonna be hell to pay. Teehee :) But seriously, if that song wasn’t on there, I’d given it eight out of ten. I love the album concept and everything about it EXCEPT for that song. It’s just…ewwwww.