Rise or Die Trying in Bloomington, MN

There was a period of time when singsongy
punk-pop
and
emo
were two separate styles -- especially when each initially gained popularity in the late '90s. But sometime during the early 21st century, both styles collided together for many new groups -- case in point,
Four Year Strong
. Hailing from Worcester, MA, this quintet (comprised of two singer/guitarists --
Alan Day
Dan O'Conner
-- plus bassist
Joe Weiss
, synth twiddler
Josh Lyford
, and drummer
Jake Massucco
) never met a tuneful melody it didn't like, as evidenced throughout its full-length debut, 2007's
Rise or Die Trying
. It would be understandable if the band were quickly labeled as "tricky yet sticky-sweet
" given its affinity for anthemic choruses and abrupt music shifts -- but there are a few surprises lurking around the corner. Cases in point,
"Prepare to Be Digitally Manipulated"
packs a surprise
hardcore
left hook midway through, and
"Abandon Ship or Abandon All Hope"
features some subtle
Rentals-esque
synth maneuvers. It was only a matter of time until
swerved into other styles, and
's
signals this shift. ~ Greg Prato