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Written by Adam Mendelevitz
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Sunday, 24 June 2007 |
Citizen
Doghouse Records
B+
It came as a bit of a shock to me when, about a week or two ago, I heard a commercial rock station playing a song by this Washington, DC-based group, Army of Me. |
 Finally, I thought, the station had moved away from the endless cycle of Linkin Park’s “What I’ve Done” and the same two Pearl Jam songs that seem to pop up every time I turn on that station. While that prediction failed, at least I still got to hear a great band breaking into the mainstream.
The song in particular was “Going Through Changes,” probably the best song on this album. Admittedly, the lyrics appear to mention a failed relationship and vividly describing the aftermath one goes through, but manages to accomplish this with hard-rocking guitar riffs and a catchy chorus.
One remarkable thing about this record is it seems to be unique not just in the guitar riffs, but in the lyrics. While the songs mostly deal with stories of growing up and the trials and tribulations of falling in love, they actually keep a surprisingly upbeat tone, as opposed to the manufactured angst prevalent in other rock/punk/alternative bands today. (I’m looking at you, AFI and My Chemical Romance). Though the songs may not tread into particularly edgy or new territory, they do put a fresh face on the aforementioned stories.
| One nagging thing about this album is that, while the instruments are constantly changing and evolving from the softer acoustics of “Better Run” to the slightly harder “Meet You At The Mouth,” Vince Scheuerman’s vocals don’t seem to have a similar variety. However, that may actually be a good thing for this band, sticking to what they do best rather than trying too hard to expand their audience.
Overall, it seems Army of Me can only go uphill as they continue to explore their musical artistry, and Citizen is a very good first step.
You can find out more about this band at their website www.armyofmeonline.com | | |
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