Holland, Turkey, Ireland, Bosnia, New Zealand—these boys really get around. Since the release of their '97 debut album All Star United has traveled the world. And it shows with their new release, International Anthems for the Human Race. The song writing is ironic and sarcastic, reminiscent of Steve Taylor. The music is a blend of whatever you want to call it: 80's pop, glam, arena rock. But however you want to describe it, it boils down to just plain fun. As front man Ian Eskelin says, "With this record, we knew we needed to take things up a notch. The songs on International Anthems have more instrumentation and polish than other stuff we've done. We spent a lot of time working out cool tones, sounds, and nuances that add a little something special to each track. In addition, we've got a brass section on several songs, and a 12-piece string section on others. Things like that help take the songs to a new level. I think that each time someone listens to the record they'll hear something that they didn't catch the time before. Sonically and musically, Anthems is a big step forward for us." And it may just bring them closer to their tongue-in-cheek mission statement of "being one of the few Christian bands to take over the globe." This record is definitely worth a listen.
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #77Reviewed by Daniel JohnstonThis sophomore project doesn't move very far from All Star's first record. The guitars and lyrics have the same hint of Steve Taylor and early Newsboys that their debut had, and its pop influences (whoo-hoo!) hold it back from really rocking out, despite the punk tinges that show up here and there. The opener, "Big Rock Show" is one of the better songs on this disc, along with the straight ahead…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by James StewartA cursory listen to All Star United's sophomore release could leave some listeners worried about the band's grasp of humility--especially since in the second track they proclaim themselves "the greatest band in the world." But that listener would merely be unfamiliar with Ian Eskelin and company's brand of satire. Mixing two fairly equal doses of entertainment and commentary, this is a strong…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Steven S. BaldwinIn the spirit of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it, just tweak it a bit," All Star United have recently released their second album, which largely resembles and expands on their signature sound from their self-titled debut. The budget for International Anthems for the Human Race was considerably larger than for their first, resulting in a bigger, bolder, and more brash All Star United…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Daren AllderAnyone familiar with the so-called Brit-Pop scene of a few years ago will have spotted the influences in All Star United's eponymous debut album. Worn proudly alongside their more traditional US rock heritage were flavours of (most noticeably) Blur and Supergrass. A couple of years later, their second album retains those influences and adds a few more--chiefly Oasis, The Cardigans (is Swede-Pop…The Phantom Tollbooth 1999Reviewed by Shari LloydI borrowed this album planning on giving some balance to these reviews. I had the first album. I've heard them in concert. Nothing great! Three reviews with four tocks--give me a break. By the second song, I was re-thinking my viewpoint. By the end of the album, I had to agree with them. Sure it's pure pop fun with light, breezy lyrics but they also give you something to think about. 4 tocksSimilar sounding releases
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