The All-American Rejects
' effervescent 2003 hit
"Swing Swing"
sounded like a
pop
-
punk
adaptation of
Better Than Ezra
, and their sophomore effort makes this mix even more apparent. The earnest racket of an outfit like
the Get Up Kids
is also a component in
Move Along
's sound. But
the Rejects
blend and sculpt those influences with keyboards, choirs, pianos -- there's even a
classical
guitar on
"Top of the World"
-- and the result is superficial midrange
with appeal for a general audience of casual listeners. (Fans of
Wakefield
,
Something Corporate
Switchfoot
, and
American Hi-Fi
should take note.)
The Rejects
rock
out a little on
"Night Drive,"
"Dirty Little Secret,"
and
"I'm Waiting"
-- the guitars crackle anxiously, and
Tyson Ritter
Nick Wheeler
's breathy harmonies soar like they mean it. There's also distortion somewhere in
"Stab My Back,"
but it's buried under acoustic guitars, vocal overdubs, and mournful keyboards.
has some memorable hooks, such as those on the title track or
"Change Your Mind"
-- and, living up to its title, it moves along efficiently, usually keeping the pace at a snappy midtempo. The songs are also impeccably arranged, even if they're relentlessly processed and some of the instrumentation seems like overkill. (A children's choir? Come on....) In other words, it's easy to like
the All-American Rejects
if you're looking for 21st century mainstream
that takes very, very few chances but does offer solid melodies and easy to swallow take/break and night/flight rhyme schemes. ~ Johnny Loftus