When I was listening to this, my roommate walked by and thought I was listening to Craig's Brother (an easy mistake to make). Yet another melodic punk band from the Tooth and Nail/ BEC camp that fails to take any creative strides. Song after song of bland music that does nothing to capture the imagination, is what this album offers.
One of the songs, "Denise," sounds so much like a Slick Shoes song I had to check and make sure I still had the Ace Troubleshooter CD in. The production is pretty good, and they have the Blasting Room to thank for that.
The best song was "Phoenix" which is really the only song that seemed to be somewhat original. If they could have taken a similar approach to the rest of the album, they would have released something worth listening to. They could have at least recorded the vocals in another language; perhaps then some sort of flare would be present. I had a hard time taking them seriously and I don't think I'm alone. If they get the chance to make another album, hopefully some time on the road will help them write better music. If you've heard anything by Hangnail or The Undecided, you've heard this too.
D+
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #86Reviewed by The Kern County KidI'm so sick of pop punk! Or so I tell myself. That lasts only as long as I'm complaining about sound-alike bands and genre bandwagons. When I pop in a band like Ace Troubleshooter, I have to admit I'm pleased very easily. Give me a good hook, a good vocalist, and a tight band that can keep it together, and you've got me listening. I've been reading about Ace Troubleshooter as an indie for awhile,…ReAL Magazine 2000Reviewed by Kevin D. HendricksI've been following Ace Troubleshooter for the past three years and I've always thought they were a band that fell just short of their potential. Their newest release is another story in that short-of-the-potential saga, but for a band that's not living up to my expectations, they produce a pretty good album. Their new CD is pop-punk, full of strong guitars, hooking melodies, and good-old…Similar sounding releases
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