Avoid One Thing Proves That Pop Punk Doesn't Have To Suck
Written: May 06 '04
Product Rating:
Pros: more cohesive and enjoyable than the debut
Cons: songs begin to bleed into one another
The Bottom Line: Chopstick Bridge is a marked improvement from the band's debut, and is easily one of the better rock records put out thus far in 2004.
MattA75's Full Review: Chopstick Bridge [Digipak] * by Avoid One Thing
"This band has become the main thing in my life."-Joe Gittleman, singer/bassist for Avoid One Thing
As a diehard, plaid bleeding, a*s skanking, up front at every show Mighty Mighty Bosstones fan, reading the above quote from that band's founding bassist is, just as I'm sure it is for most MMB fans like me, hard. It's hard to imagine a Joe Gittleman whose main thing in life is not the Bosstones. And as that band lies on that musical life support system known as "hiatus," I would be lying if I sat here and said that to a certain extent, I wish Avoid One Thing never came to exist. Along with vocalist Dickie Barrett, Gittleman built the Bosstones up to the point of platinum sales, a devoted fanbase, and a certain point on the scale of punk rock respect that is reserved for the likes of The Clash, among others. And sure, while the other members of the band maybe wanted an extended break, make no bones about it, the reason the band is on hiatus is because of Avoid One Thing.
The band's 2002 self titled debut disc was a mish-mash of power pop punk, drawing on songs Gittleman had written as far back as 1995. Some critics derided Gittleman, saying that the songs were nothing more than Bosstones songs being played with a new lead singer and sans a horn section. While sonically this was in many ways true (just as the same critique could be made about this record), the lyrics showed a much more personal side of Gittleman than what was ever revealed of him in the Bosstones.
On Chopstick Bridge, the band's just released sophomore effort, the album flows much more solidly than the self-titled disc. It generally feels more cohesive, as it should, given the fact that this, unlike the first disc, was truly a group effort. Outside of Gittleman, only guitarist/vocalist Amy Griffin remains from the original lineup of 2002; original drummer Dave Karcich tragically died a week before the debut record came out, and John Lynch replaces him. Meanwhile, second guitarist Paul Delano left the band, leaving the group as a trio for this record and beyond.
The album kicks off with 3 fierce rockers, one right after the other. Armbands and Braids plays like a road weary rocker that features some ominous ringing guitar tones from Griffin and some nice harmonies between Gittleman and Griffin on the bridge. The disc then hits its most anthemic point with the pop-punk leaning title track. Not unlike Lean on Sheena from the last record, the chorus is a rhyming sing along that is as ballsy as it is catchy. Griffin then takes over for her first of three lead vocal turns on the snarling All That You've Heard, a song that seems to question her devotion to the important things in life, and ironically, it is written much like a song Barrett and Gittleman would've tag teamed on one of the latter Bosstones albums.
Gittleman chronicles the abuse the band took at a Chicago show on Fillmore East (the title obviously reflects a change in location), an absolute buzzsaw of a track that features some raging leads from Griffin and some solid drumming from Lynch.
The band does throw some variety and spice into the mix. Griffin's The Airplane is a goofy track that sounds like it came straight out of a vaudeville show, while Gittleman's A Lot Like This is very much a straight up summer pop song. With a little bit of a push, this song could be the summer pop song du jour for 2004.
Chopstick Bridge is certainly not a perfect album though. The songs can tend to bleed into one another, on a couple of stretches in particular. That being said, it feels, as it should, like record with a center to it, something that could not be said for the band's debut, which at times felt like an "odds and sods" type of collection of songs. It may not be the best punk record to come out this year, but you most certainly could do worse. As it stands right now, this is one of the better albums that a very weak 2004 has given us. Be sure to give it a shot.
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