Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 04/29/2008
The ultimate goal of a debut album should be to set a band apart from its peers, but it appears that
Forever the Sickest Kids have missed that point with
Underdog Alma Mater. The album presents
Forever the Sickest Kids as decidedly average, with little that makes them stand out from fellow punk-pop/emo groups other than a slightly brighter sound. True, not every band can come out with groundbreaking works right out of the gate, but
Underdog Alma Mater has a rote, paint-by-numbers feel that doesn't bode well for a premiere, instead giving the illusion that the bandmembers are either trying too hard to sound like their contemporaries, aren't sure how to set themselves apart, or just don't have anything unique to contribute musically. The most obvious example is lead singer
Jonathan Cook, who bases his delivery, intentionally or not, on that of
Panic at the Disco's
Brendon Urie. It's unfortunate if it's mere coincidence, but indefensible if it's a deliberate imitation -- what's to be gained if
Cook and the rest of the band are content to follow the lead of groups that have gone before without treading new ground or finding their own niche? It leads to songs like
"She's a Lady," a bad relationship ditty that sounds like it could be an outtake from any number of groups (albeit one with a whining chorus and bland verses), or
"Coffee Break," a tune that is melodramatic nearly to the point of parody as it wrenches every last bit of angst from verses about over-connected youth ("I'm turning my cell off just to breathe/'Cause everyone I know just keeps calling me"), anxiety about growing up, and even the worry that "my mom hates my guts." Other times, as on
"Breakdown," the group merely sounds bored and unenthusiastic, although there are occasional bright spots, like the light and bouncy
"Uh Huh." ~Katherine Fulton, All Music Guide
;)
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