PushPlay “Found”
Time to see what talent the major labels are pushing through. Produced by Matt Squire (Panic at the Disco) Long Island natives Push Play would like you to toss your Jonas Brothers CDs in the trash and “Watch it Burn.” While the opening track is a nice buzz guitar pop song, it enters boy-band faux-soul with “Midnight Romeo.” Lead singer CJ Baran has a good lead vocal and the band plays well together as tight quartet. There is a bit of good pop funk here in “Taking It Back” and the mature lyric on “My Everything” takes the band out of the cliche department. In addition, “See My Soul” is a song that stands as an excellent example of a modern up tempo pop, and “Start Again” is a nice arena styled crowd pleaser to end off the album. Unfortunately too many songs here sound like cookie cutter pop fluff (“Covergirl” and “Barely Legal”) and the band needs a few more hooks in the material to make it memorable. On the other hand, if you’re an typical teen you’re welcome to ignore this review.
Mayday Parade “Anywhere But Here”
It’s good to see the major labels cultivate talent, and this band has made steady progress from a rough punk pop outfit to a polished pop powerhouse along the lines of Green Day or Bowling for Soup. Fans of the older Mayday Parade may miss the dual vocal leads of the past, but this is the major leagues, kids. The band has matured with a nearly non-stop tour schedule, including co-headlining the Alternative Press’ tour “The Fall Ball ’09”. This is modern alternative pop with an accent on Derek Sanders powerful vocals and it’s chock full of solid melodies. The Tallahassee-based band stands out right away with a big hook in the chorus of “Kids In Love.” It follows with the earnest guitar lead “Bruised and Scarred” and most of the other tracks here have a solid song structures and excellent musicianship. The album suffers a little from a few middle of the road power ballads that don’t stick in your head too long. However, when these guys it crank up, like on “Center of Attention” and “The End” you will be glad to add this to your ipod playlist.
Nice Mayday Parade review. I have to say I agree with a lot of what you said. I liked these guys back a couple years ago, but a lot of the earlier stuff, like you said, is rough. When compared to this more polished work, its almost like listening to a series of demos. I think if they keep it going in this direction, they'll find themselves a larger fan base for sure. I really enjoyed the new album, and in playing it for friends who never got into them before… well lets just say that changed pretty quick!