Rating:
Genre: Rock
Release Date: 09/23/2003

In an assertive full-length debut, Matchbook Romance deals out a strong hand and plays it well. The winning cards include expressive lyrics delivered most of the time by twin lead vocals, songs powered by a combination of sharp hooks and dramatic changes in dynamics, and a multi-layered production in which Brett Gurewitz allows plenty of room for the sound to chime, buzz, and roar over Aaron Stern's thundering drums. (Stern especially loves doing double bass drum fills, which sound the way a Muhammad Ali combination must have once felt.) They build their choruses and other peak moments around massive blasts of guitar anchored by basslines on the root of each chord for maximum impact. At the same time, they don't skimp on the details; guest keyboardist David Palmer's unobtrusive bleeps and gurgles bring some variety to the otherwise monochromatic timbre, especially in quiet interludes or long final chords. With this sort of intensity and bravura, Matchbook Romance sets a high standard for itself and shows every sign of meeting it on future releases. (Beware, however, the noodling and noise that flare up after more than 70 tracks of silence. Even without this tired gag, there's more than enough to chew on throughout the CD's 12 real cuts.)

~Robert L. Doerschuk, All Music Guide

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Joe Barresi - Producer
Joe Barresi - Engineer
Joe Barresi - Mixing
Brett Gurewitz - Producer
Pete Martinez - Editing
Pete Martinez - Assistant Engineer
Jeff Moses - Assistant Engineer
David Palmer - Keyboards
Gene Grimaldi - Mastering
Bruce Jaccoby - Drum Technician
Jeff Abarta - A&R
John Naclerio - Engineer
John Naclerio - Vocal Engineer
Aaron Stern - Drums
Judas DePaolo - Guitar
Judas DePaolo - Vocals
Ryan Kienle - Bass
Ryan Kienle - Guitar (Bass)
Ryan Kienle - Vocals
Andrew Jordan - Guitar
Andrew Jordan - Vocals
Matt Govaere - Art Direction
Matt Govaere - Design
David Palmer - Keyboards
Bob Lenz - Art Direction
Bob Lenz - Design
Larrabee East - Mixing

Understand This Is a Dream
    The Juliana Theory / CD / 1999
Dead Ends and Girlfriends
    Allister / CD / 1999
Waiting
    Thursday / CD / 2000
Emotion Is Dead
    The Juliana Theory / CD / 2000
Playmate of the Year
    Zebrahead / Super Audio CD / 2000
This Time Next Year
    The Movielife / CD / 2000
Emo Diaries, Vol. 5: I Guess This Is Goodbye
    Various Artists / CD / 2000
Identity Crisis
    Thrice / CD / 2001
Full Collapse
    Thursday / CD / 2001
Never Kill the Boy on the First Date
    Waterdown / CD / 2001
Perhaps, I Suppose...
    Rufio / CD / 2001
Walls Between Us
    Time Spent Driving / CD / 2001
Your Favorite Weapon
    Brand New / CD / 2001
Falling into Place
    Finch / CD / 2001
Music from Another Room
    The Juliana Theory / CD / 2001
The Illusion of Safety
    Thrice / CD / 2002
What It Is to Burn
    Finch / CD / 2002
Living Well Is the Best Revenge
    Midtown / CD / 2002
Autopilot Off
    Autopilot Off / CD / 2002
Leaving Through the Window
    Something Corporate / CD / 2002
Kings of Pop
    Home Grown / CD / 2002
Say It Like You Mean It
    The Starting Line / CD / 2002
Glasseater
    Glasseater / CD / 2002
The Underdog
    Yellowcard / CD / 2002
Light a Match, For I Deserve to Burn
    The Beautiful Mistake / LP / 2002
Evolution of Energy
    S.T.U.N. / CD / 2003
Five Stories Falling
    Thursday / CD / 2002
For All of This
    The Early November / CD / 2002
Is This Thing Loaded?
    Northstar / CD / 2002
How to Start a Fire
    Further Seems Forever / CD / 2003
Rufio [EP]
    Rufio / CD / 2003
Forty Hour Train Back to Penn
    The Movielife / CD / 2003
Emo Is Awesome/Emo Is Evil
    Various Artists / CD / 2002
Dream to Make Believe
    Armor for Sleep / CD / 2003
Punk vs. Emo
    Various Artists / CD / 2003
MCMLXXXV (1985)
    Rufio / CD / 2003
Remember Right Now
    Spitalfield / CD / 2003
Deja Entendu
    Brand New / CD / 2003
The Artist in the Ambulance
    Thrice / CD / 2003
Live 10.13.2001
    The Juliana Theory / CD / 2003
War All the Time
    Thursday / CD / 2003
Make Yourself Sick
    Boys Night Out / CD / 2003
It Won't Snow Where You're Going
    Park / CD / 2003
Evanesce
    Anatomy of a Ghost / CD / 2003
Seven Ways to Scream Your Name
    Funeral for a Friend / CD / 2003
Maxeen
    Maxeen / CD / 2003
Hidden in Plain View [EP]
    Hidden in Plain View / CD / 2003
The Make Yourself at Home EP
    The Starting Line / CD / 2003
The Room's Too Cold
    The Early November / CD / 2003
Sirens and Condolences
    Bayside / CD / 2004
E. Von Dahl Killed the Locals
    The Matches / CD / 2004
Beyond the Obvious
    Jinxed / CD / 2004
Fading Days
    Amber Pacific / CD / 2004
The Silence in Black and White
    Hawthorne Heights / CD / 2004
Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge
    My Chemical Romance / CD / 2004
Hide Nothing
    Further Seems Forever / CD / 2004
Fear in Love
    Don't Look Down / CD / 2004
Don't Cut Your Fabric to This Year's Fashion
    Action Action / CD / 2004
Rest of Our Lives Is Tonight
    Race the Sun / CD / 2004
Zoo
    Anadivine / CD / 2004
Things Aren't So Beautiful Now
    A Thorn for Every Heart / CD / 2004
What to Do When You Are Dead
    Armor for Sleep / CD / 2005
Faso Latido
    A Static Lullaby / CD / 2005
From Under the Cork Tree
    Fall Out Boy / CD / 2005
Wide Eyed
    Junior Varsity / CD / 2005
Pollyanna
    Northstar / CD / 2004
All's Well That Ends Well
    Chiodos / CD / 2005
New American Saint
    Tokyo Rose / CD / 2005
Life on the Murder Scene
    My Chemical Romance / CD / 2006
Louder Now
    Taking Back Sunday / CD / 2006
Berth
    The Used / CD / 2007

Release Date: 09/23/2003
Genre: rock