Wednesday, June 17, 2009

All American Rejects: "When the World Comes Down"

For as long as I can remember, I have always been an AAR fan. In 2003, when I first heard their Self-Titled album, I was enthralled. The catchy tunes and the beautifully constructed lyrics and instrumentals, amazing. So lets start there, shall we?

The self-titled album held such classics as "Paper Heart" and "Swing Swing". This was the first dose of music from this band that America was subjected to. Needless to say that it was very well picked up by a mass public, as it hit the radio soon after. The songs may have been a bit "choppy" with lyrics and instruments, but their idea was there, and very well put together, and loved by many, including myself.

It seemed like for two years or so after that release, they toured but kept low and wrote another album as well. Until in 2005 when "Move Along" came out. This album was powerful and again had very well put ideas together. From the lyrics to the instrumentals, the album progressed and flowed together a bit better than their previous self-titled album. This album gave us such songs as "Move Along" and "Dirty Little Secret". Once again, AAR hit with catchy lyrics and a great tune for everyone to rock out to.

Now, when I heard that AAR was releasing an album around the same time FOB was releasing their new album, I was kind of worried that FOB's release would have sheltered AAR from getting their album in the light as much as it may deserve. I remember thinking that people would just listen to FOB's and not AAR.

When I first picked up "When the World Comes Down", I hadn't even listened to a single from the album yet, so I wasn't knowing what to expect. But the opening track "I Wanna" just sucked me in from the beginning. "Falling Apart" and "Damn Girl" deliver the same catchy tune and lyrical type that I was used to, be even showed more progression since their previous album "Move Along".

I can admit, I love "Gives You Hell", the first single from the album. It is very catchy, very great tune, and a song lyrically I think all of us can identify with at some point or another. The next two songs "Mona Lisa" and "Breakin" kind of tone the album down a little, but still keep it catchy, and give the album a little bit of a darker feeling, more emotion seems to flow through these songs.

"Another Heart Calls" is in my opinion one of the best ballads ever written, it is right up there with "If It Means A Lot To You" by A Day To Remember. The lyrics and emotion flow from both the male and female voice in this song, and give it a very connective feeling. I even found a video on youtube of two girls singing along in their bedroom to the song, absolutely loved it!

To sum up the rest of the album, it is a bit toned down from the first half. The songs are still good, but make me want to get up and boogey less. The album never really loses its touch on reality or on the emotions that the band portrays in each of its songs since the beginning.
























Album: 8 out of 10 zings

Message to Band: I completely respect how you have gone about your "fame" or music business. I actually like how you seem to disappear for a few years and keep low, something that a lot of people seem to forget, and stay in the light for too long, and it makes them weird. Keep up the amazing tunes!

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