I Am the Target

In their debut album, Madison Project presents I Am the Target, classic rock tinged with punk, tied up neatly with moving lyrics. Bandmates Ryan MacNeill on guitar and vocals, Ezra Oklan on drums and Ben Kogan on bass, combine their musical experiences and play on influences like Blink 182, NoFx, Bouncing Souls, Homegrown and The Vandals, creating a successful rock album.

Madison Project shows their talent with tracks like "Sedation" and "Take It All," both passionate, almost frantic tracks with angry lyrics. However, Madison Project just keeps them in control, which adds to the overall rock groove they easily produce.

Another excellent track is "Fallen," which opens with skilled guitar riffs, and the vocals are outstanding. The combination of the two with a simple chorus and strong backbeat serve to make "Fallen" one of the best tracks on the album.

Madison Project falls slightly flat with "Burn It Down," which starts out with promise, but fails to get past its dragging pace.

While I Am the Target has a couple of tracks that have the potential of being duds, like "Burn It Down," which could be more memorable if it weren't a ballad, other tracks, like "Sedation," stand out. Overall, the album is worth listening to once, especially if one is a fan of rock. Madison Project excels at up-tempo, punk-inspired rock tracks, but still hasn't found its feet with slower, ballad-type tracks.