The Audition promised that their new album would be a mix of their previous releases and they were right. This basically means that half of the album is really good while the other half is way too sugary and danceable.
After a very enjoyable debut (“Controversy Loves Company”), I was disappointed by follow-up “Champion” which sounded all over the place. And listening to “Self-Titled Album” is a mix of the two. On one hand you have the hopelessly danceable and poppy songs like “Over My Head” and “Everybody Is Someone Else’s Secret” and the hopelessly derivative balladry of “It’s Gonna Be Hard (When I’m Gone)”. Even though I know I shouldn’t like them, they’re just so slippery and slick that you can’t help but nod along.
“Los Angeles” on the other hand sounds like the song Sugarcult hasn’t written yet (oh wait, they already have a song called “Los Angeles”) and opening track “The Running Man” is as solid as K2. Mark Trombino (Blink 182, Jimmy Eat World) works his magic as usual and makes everything sound amazing.
I just wish that these guys brought a little more rock and a lot less of the cuddly, danceable stuff. There’s already hundreds of bands out there doing the same thing but there aren’t nearly as many who are able to write great rock songs the way The Audition could if they set their mind to it. Until they do that they will simply have to remain one of my guilty pleasures along with the All-American Rejects.
Score: 7.5 out of 10
http://www.victoryrecords.com
http://www.theauditionrocks.com
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