The Riverdales are back, this time with the help of Recess Records to try to follow-up their previous album, ‘Invasion USA’, which is my personal favorite. Too bad the band basically falls flat on their faces with this one. It seems like they try to stretch themselves too thin by trying different sounds for the album, few of which work. The Riverdales seem to have gone from a great album back to putting out sort of ok albums.
‘Bad Seed Baby’ Sounds like Screeching Weasel went and became a rock band. I kinda like this.
‘The Beginning Of The End’ It might just be the drawn out vocals but it sounds kind of like Screeching Weasel is trying to be the Misfits a little, I’m not big on this song.
‘Infection’ Oh wow, a Riverdales song on the Riverdales album. It’s pretty good, even has a guitar solo, which was unexpected.
‘Diabolik’ A horror punk sounding song. It’s ok.
‘Volcano’ Another Riverdales sounding song, except I don’t care for this song.
‘The Girl In Lover’s Lane’ More horror punk sound, not a fan of this one.
‘Girls Town’ Sounds like a total Ramones song, but not as good. Not bad but the repetitiveness isn’t catchy it’s more annoying.
‘Soultaker’ This song has a lot of elements I like, but I just don’t like it, it doesn’t work well.
’12 To The Moon’ oh hey another Riverdales song, this one’s pretty good, I wish more of the album sounded like this.
‘Crash Of The Moons’ A 50’s sounding rock that the band doesn’t make work very well, it’s not so bad though.
‘Stranded In Space’ A catchy pop song that I totally dig.
‘I Don’t Wanna Live Forever’ Another catchy pop song, I’m into this, lets hope it continues.
‘Master Ninja’ Not so good, and even worse a pretty forgettable song.
‘Time Chaser’ They close out on a high note with a good song, actually this song rules.
1. Bad Seed Baby
2. The Beginning Of The End
3. Infection
4. Diabolik
5. Volcano
6. The Girl In Lover’s Lane
7. Girls Town
8. Soultaker
9. 12 To The Moon
10. Crash Of The Moons
11. Stranded In Space
12. I Don’t Wanna Live Forever
13. Master Ninja
14. Time Chaser
Let me start this one off by saying I’m not a huge Riverdales fan; I like them, but don’t think they’re anything amazing. They’re a pretty good pop punk band. This album however, is amazing. This may be one of the best pop punk albums I’ve heard all year, if things stay the way they seem this album is definitely making it on my year end list. This is leaps and bounds ahead of anything they’ve ever done as far as I’m concerned. Now I know the band has been around for quite some time but this takes a pretty good pop punk band, with a somewhat generic sound and totally brings it to the light by forging a distinctive catchy sound that’s totally new, but not going to alienate any of the fans. Anyone who likes pop punk by the likes of MTX, Ben Weasel, Dear Landlord, the Copyrights, (old) Green Day or the Methadones should at the very least give this one a listen, if not just go out and pick it up. You will not be disappointed by what you hear here.
Uncle Critic 