Reviews
Direction
The Starting Line
Released: Jul 31, 2007
Label: Virgin Records
Reviewed by: Doug Klein
3 comments
Where should I even begin with this album? Although I admit I was never a huge fan of The Starting Line, I thought their music was generally decent pop punk with maybe a little too much pop and not enough punk. However, their newest effort, Direction, is a nightmare from start to finish; I'm not sure I've ever heard an album fail to even come close to having a distinct sound and good flow.
The album begins with the title track, "Direction." This track is a slow, overproduced piece that has no catch, no hook, and 6th grade lyrics. It truly sounds from just this track alone that The Starting Line was trying to make an album of predictable indie pop that has no substance at all. This album is not emo, it's not punk, it's barely even alternative. The change of the style takes out all of the heart that their music used to possess. The tracks that follow just keep providing mediocre music that can easily be reproduced by any high school talent show.
The entire album is a let down. The guitars can't carry the record; they seem to just be part of the background. The vocals feel forced and the lyrics are atrocious. Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't tear an album down so much, but I know The Starting Line, I've heard their previous material. This isn't the same band that existed just a few years ago. They are becoming the poster children of the new music movement that insists you completely change your sound to follow the trends and stay popular. This album feels like it was written from the business side of things, to sell to the MTV crowd instead of being written for music's sake.
This album is a disappointment and wouldn't even be a good buy for a rabid Starting Line fan. It's sad to see a decent band let themselves be dominated by the music biz, but it is becoming more and more common nowadays. Hopefully, bands will realize this and stay strong and true to the music they create and not let the scene decide for them.
User Comments
bi·as - Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[bahy-uhs]–noun 1. an oblique or diagonal line of direction, esp. across a woven fabric. 2. a particular tendency or inclination, esp. one that prevents unprejudiced consideration of a question; prejudice.
this review isn't biased...the reviewer states that he has enjoyed some of the band's previous work, though he didn't think it was great (the starting line have never been critical darlings!). he also says nothing about disliking the genre or gives any indication that anything besides the record itself has caused him to write a negative review. bias is a pre-existing notion of something, a judgement rendered before presention of the facts. this review is honest and points out a band that has obviously fallen off a bit and is desperately trying to maintain some sort of relevance. Sep 12, 2007
Sep 12, 2007
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