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All American Rejects - When The World Comes Down
- The All American Rejects returned in December 2008 older and wiser, but no less goofy or entertaining with their third album, “When The World Comes Down.” AAR knows who what they are and it allows them to make enjoyable albums. They malign the suburban lifestyle, condemn our impersonal society, and contemplate the purpose of life and death, but in the power pop style, they have ridden to success.
“When The World Comes Down” sees the four Oklahoma buddies mature, but not until about track five. First things first; they get their fun in, laying down what can only be described as a sticky good time in, “I Wanna.” The emo-friendly band gets ubber-poppy with the effervescent “Fallin’ Apart,” which is about surviving the road bumps in a relationship that’s worth the pain. They continue in this vein with “Damn Girl,” which features a more ambitious chord progression, framed in a slower song overall.
Like most power pop, the AAR’s arrangements are economical, meaning limited chord progressions. However, on this album, producer Eric Valentine tries too hard to enhance the sound, an approach that clashes with the band’s formula of less is more.
The first single off the album, “Gives You Hell,” is a sing-along, enough said. While it is a vengeful attack on the nine to five work-life, it’s a playful song with a fun composition that you’ll be singing to yourself instantly. From there, the album takes a sharp turn with Tyson Ritter’s simple attempt at socially conscious lyrics in “Mona Lisa.” He arbitrarily lists his observations of a decaying society as if watching it happen while sedated. The song actually reminded me of watching “Deep Impact,” if the apocalyptic 1998 film was set to a sappy acoustic. “Breakin’” follows with a steady composition where Ritter doesn’t sound sedated. Unlike “Mona Lisa,” this broken-heart ballad is a prime example of producer Valentine over-doing it. The bells and whistles of his production really hurt Ritter’s vocal performance, and reduce the overall quality of the track.
With “Another Heart Calls,” AAR, again, break away from the pack in a soothing and smart duet with the Pierce sisters, Catherine and Allison. The back and forth between two lovers slowly transitions from a perfect mood-setting acoustic to a rhythmic melody, capturing the growing tension of the lyrical fight. While “Another Heart Calls” is a haunting love song, “Back To Me,” “The Wind Blows” and “Sunshine” express a similar emotion, all under contrasting lights.
“Real World” breaks up the soft melodies that dominate the last half of the album by getting in your face with a forceful drumbeat and an impactful hook. Ritter rocks out in his search for the truth in a world where perception trumps reality. Finally, “Believe,” is a somber, beat-driven track about finding meaning in this life through love.
The best qualities about this album come from the band trying new things. I never get lost in the arrangement of songs, or lose interest in Ritter's lyrics. The bottom line here is that the AAR put out a good pop/rock album, in spite of their producer.
Reviewer: Brian Donnelly
new
Reviewer's Rating: 8
Reader's Rating: 0
Reader's Votes: 0
Added: 2-Jul-2009
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