| Absolutely perfect pop-punk. In the same vein as original New Found Glory, the Starting Line, or any early-2000's Drive-Thru band, 1997 has taken what its predeccessors have given, and created their own new example. At first listen, the band can be brushed off as another Victory Records band who know how to play instruments; there are literally thousands of throwaway bands. The production, and attention to detail on this album, the vocal work, the bass lines, the atmospheric guitar parts, and the varying and inventive song structures, with multiple prechoruses and bridges.
"On The Run" presents a style and rhythm all 1997's. Each song flows within itself, with frequent intersong breaks, drops into atmospheric bridges, short repeated prechoruses and subchoruses. The unique construction breaks the monotony that sometimes creeps into pop-punk, and while presenting a genre we have heard before, and choruses that are indistinguishable from the commonplace, it is every other part of the song that impresses and excites me. The vocals are extremely wellsuited, intentionally or not, the rough edges of the vocals fit perfectly with what emotional punk is supposed to be about, emotion breaking through the artistic expression of itself. Occasional voice cracks and strains highlight the emotion within the song in a way that mere entusiasm and energy cannot.
Inventive and creative within a somewhat restrictive style, this full-length record has the feeling of a band's previous work, I would compare the unique style to the original Paramore first full-length intensity. The occasional drops into the routine forms of expression, the stock choruses, keep this album from absolutely blowing me away. Flashes of absolute brilliance, but inconsistent and occasionally tiresome; "On The Run" is worth listens (emphasis on the plural), and a live show would be the definite test of longeivity.
~ Dillon
May 30 2008 |
