Although their last album, Blue Skies, Broken Hearts... Next 12 Exits was their second record, it was the first taste most people had of The Ataris, and quickly became the favorite of many newschool punk and emopunk fans alike. So while I was hopeful for this new album, I expected a belated sophomore slump, the tragic norm for bands trying to follow up a huge hit record. While I don't think anyone really expected them to surpass their last album's quality, catchiness, and enjoyability, The Ataris certainly haven't slumped either. A bit more melancholy and somber, but no less catchy or well crafted than the last. The first 4 or 5 songs are certainly the best, following the singer's usual format of singing about being lonely and wanting to get with a girl he can't have. After a couple of albums of these songs, it starts to get a little old (especially since he is now happily married), but if you stand back from that they're quite good. Later on in the record they start experimenting with different sounds, a little country, a little bit of something I can only describe as new-Green-Day-slaphappy sound, a little synthesizer, etc. Overall, I think any Ataris fan will enjoy it and it's certainly worth buying; there are 3 or 4 songs on this album that are better than anything on the last. But as I expected it doesn't stand up to the last one when the albums are compared as a whole.
B
Similar sounding releases
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1999The Juliana TheoryUnderstand This Is a Dream
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