Label: N/A
Release: October 03 2006
Hometown: MO



9 (out of 10)


It use to be that unless you were on a major label or a large indie, your record would go mostly unnoticed. Oh how that has changed with the internet and zines. Case in point: A Day Away, who released "Touch Me Tease Me Take Me For Granted" Independently. I have to admit A Day Away has a ton of potential that is why I honestly think they will be getting signed within a month.

   After giving their album plenty of time in my player, I’m sure they will have numerous offers to choose from. It amazes me that a band of youngins' from Missouri can be so talented. Nothing against Missouri, I just don’t see it as a hot bed for pop-punk. This is just another thing the internet has done, giving a band from anywhere a shot to make it. They have taken over the net and webzines and the mainstream will be taking notice soon.

   Wasting no time the album punches in with "Leave A Message" This is my personal favorite on "Touch Me Tease Me Take Me For Granted." , the album then leads into the track "Parking Lot Romance" I feel this is the stand out-track on the album but just a notch above some of the other tracks. This track really hits home for me as I can remember the so called "Parking Lot Romance" Making out in parking lots when I was younger. This song just gets better every time I listen to it, as I can’t help but groove along to the beat. From slow and soft to fast and a little more intense comes "Touch Me." This track is straight up powerpop. No, not pop like you are thinking, but pop punk with a little more kick if that makes any sense. This song reminds me a lot of old Drive Thru when pop punk was just starting to go mainstream. The following song, "Take Me For Granted," gives you a hint of whine in his voice, but for his age, it’s amazing that this is about the only time I hear that. The vocals are softer on this one, backed by a great guitar riff. The song "Before It Ends" gives you a little of a downer tone but it can still be uplifting in it’s own way. If I need to take a break during a CD I can pause it or just start it over. They give you another poppy ditty in "So Like You." You just can’t help to like "Go Back" as the vocals go along so perfectly with the beat that it’s nuts. Just as they speed up they drop you off nicely into the softer chorus that will leave you singing along for hours. This track is right up there with the title track, as I can picture either one breaking them into the mainstream. They show that they can hook you just as with the piano-based track "Coldest Heart." The next one, "She Needs To Know," makes you put your dancing shoes back on. While not as strong as some of the others, this one still has it’s place on this album. They highlight the vocals a little more on "Addiction." Not to say they don’t on the other track, but on this one the music slows up and you get more in-your-face vocals. They end off with "Major Tom." In this one they go from a softer melody then end a little more upbeat and faster paced. They mix vocals in this one giving this track a little different sound than the others on the album. There is also a soft-beat driven piano song as a bonus track that is somewhat amusing.

   "Touch Me Tease Me Take Me For Granted," for me, is as strong of a pop punk album as you are going to get. They should be put right up there with Valencia and Cartel in the resurgence of this genre. There is no filler here, it’s a solid album from beginning to end. I can’t wait to see what this group does next as far as a getting signed, but I’m sure we will be in for more top of the line powerpop.

~ Jesse
November 05 2006


A Day Away
Touch Me, Tease Me, Take Me For Granted
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