Never Shout Never - The Summer EP

[Blake Solomon]

Never Shout Never – The Summer EP
Record Label: Unsigned
Release Date: June 23, 2009

I tried writing about Cristofer Drew’s hometown of Joplin, Missouri, but all I had was one sentence. And while that might make some of you happy, I’ll refrain and discuss something else like, umm, music. Or maybe I won’t, because anything I say about Never Shout Never's The Summer EP has been said before, and depending on by whom, it’s probably been said better.

Drew’s fine-tuned tenor is so smooth that it might breeze right by. You see, each song on this EP is just as innocuous as the next; “On The Bright Side” never erupts like we hope it will and “I Just Laugh”, the EP’s only “rock” song, walks a foreseeable path from beginning to end. My apparent disgust is perhaps a smidge heavy-handed, however. I knew what I was in for with Never Shout Never, and Drew delivers on his simple, constant promise of cutesy pop music. Those sticking around for his transformation into the darker sounds of a band like Mansions will be waiting indefinitely.

Nonetheless, The Summer EP is an effective mix between Drew’s debut Yippee EP and his slightly gimmicky Me & My Uke EP. The mood is light, but including trembling strings to finale “Losing It” adds a thoughtful dimension to the acoustic downer. The outcast-themed tale is nothing new, yet it’s still a departure from other songs on the EP. Starting with a song called “Happy” and the lyrics, “You make me happy / Whether you know it or not,” and ending with “Losing It” and it’s woe-is-me-isms of, “I knew I was only 16 / But I thought I loved her / And it’d last forever,” create a delicate balance between sincerity and diversity. Drew will make plenty of teenage girls happy once his Warner Bros. contract kicks in, but I’d be lying if I said The Summer EP didn’t brighten up my day.


Recommended If You Like: Hellogoodbye, Backseat Goodbye, Rolla rules!, A Rocket To The Moon, Mexico mauls!


www.myspace.com/nevershoutnever

[zubinmoosa]

Wow, did not expect this kind of review... well done Blake

[stonecoldfox]

Good review....honestly I was just expecting you to tear the kid apart (..which is what I probably would've done) I can't really get through a single song of his, and you had to sit through multiple listens...no man should have to endure such torture.

[SilenceBrokenTT]

Only ever liked heregoesnothin by him... Maybe I'll give the new EP another spin.

[DanPiazza]

definitely an upbeat album, it's alright.

[DogSizedBird]

I can usually tell that I'll hate a band if they have an EP with the word 'Summer' in the title.

[MorningStar10]

Drew?! i thought he was a chick!

[beazer32]

Drew?! i thought he was a chick!
lol

[FormerClarity]

Sad... How does someone think he is a chick? Fucked up eyes to be honest.

[Christian Otte]

Apparently, it's just Never Shout Never now.

[xsinkshipsx]

poop...

[deezee]

Good review Blake. You know I don't think this kid is that bad.

[Broclee]

I'm surprised by this review...it's a good one, haha (that's not the suprising part). Anyways, I don't care for this kid, his music is meh, his fans are annoying as hell. Hopefully this whole cutesy uke-pop thing won't become a trend like crunkcore.

[war_allthetime]

Drew?! i thought he was a chick!
Joke fail, seeing as Drew is his last name :P

This album is just one of many I will be making a point of NOT buying this year. I'll admit I bought into the NSN! fad when Yippee came out, but Happy has got to be one of the stupidest songs I've ever heard and the rest of the album is similarly disappointing.

[RonStoppable]

Very fair review. I was all set to pass this by, but maybe I'll listen, just for the "brighten my day" factor.

[geebee889]

This is a really good review, Blake! I'm not a huge fan of his, but I do like a handful of his songs. I think I'll give this EP a listen, and hopefully I'll have some new favorites.

[Blake Solomon]

Apparently, it's just Never Shout Never now.
on the press release it's as I have it, but on the myspace it's as you have it. I'm confused!

[spansen]

i like the kid.. as generic/hit-or-miss as his songs generally are.

[denissuxx]

Suprised to see such a positive review.

Didn't like this EP.

[hiya]

good review, I still only really like his Yipee EP though and everything else just seems meh, except "Happy" is fun. plus seeing him live kind of ruined his music for me, it was that bad, maybe he was having an off night, idk.

It kind of sucks that NSN has this major record deal now and Backseat Goodbye isn't even signed, while BG has been making similar music longer and better.

[Nick Le]

Drew?! i thought he was a chick!

Drew is his last name. Lol.

Wow, did not expect this kind of review... well done Blake
Neither did I, but it was good review, I'll check it out. Probably won't be something that will stay in my rotation though.

Good review....honestly I was just expecting you to tear the kid apart (..which is what I probably would've done) I can't really get through a single song of his, and you had to sit through multiple listens...no man should have to endure such torture.

I was expecting the same. I can't really either, some of it's okay, but I had to leave during his Bamboozle Left set, couldn't really take it. Loll, "no man should have to endure such torture." But I'll give it a spin.

[loserkidchad]

"“On The Bright Side” never erupts like we hope it will"

Took the words right out of my mouth. That's my main qualm with this EP, I keep waiting for a song's tension to be released into a tempo change, but it never happens in the slower songs.

[Nick Le]

It still sounds the same when you read or say it. Haha. Oh well. Unless you follow the "!" rule in the name...

[tigertiger]

Member rating makes me chuckle.

[absolution]

15% member rating = $2 million signing bonus. Inversely correlated, I guess

[WordsandMusic]

I just cant get past the stupid moniker. And I hold every band that adds a stupid (!) to their name in the same (lack of) esteem.

[ManicanParty49]

I legitimately enjoy this EP. Sad to see I'm part of the minority.

[trappedintime]

A "band" not to be taken serious.

[all time (joe)]

Drew?! i thought he was a chick!
lmao

[Heroin Robot]

A "band" not to be taken serious.
qft

[Joe DeAndrea]

on the press release it's as I have it, but on the myspace it's as you have it. I'm confused!

It used to be NeverShoutNever! but I guess he pulled a Panic at the Disco and dropped the punctuation and spaces when he got signed.

[blebbio]

I never really liked him but at least last years ep was catchy this ones just boring.

[stonecoldfox]

Drew is his last name. Lol.


Neither did I, but it was good review, I'll check it out. Probably won't be something that will stay in my rotation though.



I was expecting the same. I can't really either, some of it's okay, but I had to leave during his Bamboozle Left set, couldn't really take it. Loll, "no man should have to endure such torture." But I'll give it a spin.
haha, did he try to cover beatles songs that he didn't know the lyrics to?

[PopPunkKid]

Comparing this crap to Hellogoodbye is a bit of a stretch if you ask me.

[Brandon Allin]

I don't hate it, but I have a hard time tolerating this stuff.

[Nick Le]

haha, did he try to cover beatles songs that he didn't know the lyrics to?
I stayed for the first song, and left for the stage across the way to wait for MyChildren MyBride and didn't really pay much attention. Haha, probably though.

[brenByah]

I can easily say that NSN will never reach a level anywhere comparable to Mansions.

[c_rob2700]

Regardless of my opinon on his music, the hair has gotta go

[doppelganger]

concise review. nice

[abbysmith]

I love how creativity got a 3.5. It was a well deserved 3.5.

[Big_Guy]

how old is is this fuckhead again?

[ExplodingStereo]

He's got a good voice, I'll give him that, but I have never been a fan of his lyrics. It's funny how when his first EP, Yippee, came out, people really liked him, and now, with a legion of tween fans, he's universally hated on here. Is it the fame that drives away the scene or does everyone actually think his songwriting has worsened. Because these songs sound exactly like the Yippee.

[brenByah]

It's too cutesy for me. And certainly in this case cutesy = no substance.

[TheRealJohnOC]

what a dumb way to spell christopher. Good review though

[Broclee]

He's got a good voice, I'll give him that, but I have never been a fan of his lyrics. It's funny how when his first EP, Yippee, came out, people really liked him, and now, with a legion of tween fans, he's universally hated on here. Is it the fame that drives away the scene or does everyone actually think his songwriting has worsened. Because these songs sound exactly like the Yippee.
Everyone here liked the Yippee EP? It's...sorta pop garbage.

[ExplodingStereo]

Everyone here liked the Yippee EP? It's...sorta pop garbage.
Go back and read the Yippee EP review on here and all the comments. A lot of them are really positive. I think just because his fanbase grew, this site kind of turned on him and started attacking. I have honestly never been a huge fan of his work, but I find it ridiculous the way people are reacting to his music now versus the last EP.

[get up kidd]

Sherwood rip off. lol

[ohsomajical]

how old is is this fuckhead again?
18

[Sherrice]

I don't see the fascination with this kid.

[oncedarkness]

Since Blake posted this somewhat positive review, the "well, he's not THAT bad" fans came out of the woodwork.

Guilty as charged.

[Broclee]

Go back and read the Yippee EP review on here and all the comments. A lot of them are really positive. I think just because his fanbase grew, this site kind of turned on him and started attacking. I have honestly never been a huge fan of his work, but I find it ridiculous the way people are reacting to his music now versus the last EP.

I'll do that. That's interesting. Honestly, I didn't mind Me & My Uke. It was kinda gimmicky and cute, but Yippee...no thank you. I also don't think you can stretch a gimmick over two EPs and make it your driving force, and I feel like that's what he's doing.

[cardhousedreame]

hahaha 25% by the members.
showing no mercy...

[envytheliving]

good review, I still only really like his Yipee EP though and everything else just seems meh, except "Happy" is fun. plus seeing him live kind of ruined his music for me, it was that bad, maybe he was having an off night, idk.

It kind of sucks that NSN has this major record deal now and Backseat Goodbye isn't even signed, while BG has been making similar music longer and better.

I couldn't agree with you more.

[super rad!]

Chris Drew is my man crush.

[HometownHero]

After hearing I Just Laugh, I did just that. It was so awful that I laughed. Not with him but at him for making such terrible songs. This kid has not one creative bone in his body. He churns out the same song over and over.

[Job For Snorlax]

As far as I'm concerned Christopher Drew is not going to go a whole lot further than he has gone now, whether he is on a label or not. I mean one person can only write so many smile, sunshine, and love songs before his/her fans realize that every song is practically the same.

[Broclee]

As far as I'm concerned Christopher Drew is not going to go a whole lot further than he has gone now, whether he is on a label or not. I mean one person can only write so many smile, sunshine, and love songs before his/her fans realize that every song is practically the same.
I would say you're exactly right, but look at brokencyde.

[brenByah]

I'm saying one record released on the label, then he's dropped.

[Chiodosbros13]

It's a good summer album. When is he going to put out a full lenght? He's put out like 4 EPs

[xxno_promisesxx]

As far as I'm concerned Christopher Drew is not going to go a whole lot further than he has gone now, whether he is on a label or not. I mean one person can only write so many smile, sunshine, and love songs before his/her fans realize that every song is practically the same.
I disagree. NSN has become... kind of... the Backstreet Boys / Nsync of these 15 year old girls.

I used to be a 15 year old girl who loved BSB & Nsync and never cared that all of there songs were dumb...

He is marketed toward the 15 year old girls and they eat him right up.

[xxno_promisesxx]

I'll do that. That's interesting. Honestly, I didn't mind Me & My Uke. It was kinda gimmicky and cute, but Yippee...no thank you. I also don't think you can stretch a gimmick over two EPs and make it your driving force, and I feel like that's what he's doing.
NSN was hated during the Yippee EP. Any time there was a news post he always got slammed. AP has never accepted him.

[Job For Snorlax]

I disagree. NSN has become... kind of... the Backstreet Boys / Nsync of these 15 year old girls.

I used to be a 15 year old girl who loved BSB & Nsync and never cared that all of there songs were dumb...

He is marketed toward the 15 year old girls and they eat him right up.
My point exactly.
Those fifteen year old girls will grow up just as those did for boy bands and realize how silly the music really is.

[TotalCollapse]

Ew.

[emopunkfan]

i dont understand the big attention this guy is getting

[Javs]

Apparently, it's just Never Shout Never now.
He can afford a keyboard with a space bar now.

[QuietThings430]

Judging on the last track alone, I think this guy has strong potential of being something really damn good or at least a huge pop sensation

[drakey]

This is my only guilty pleasure.
I don't think I'd ever like Christopher Drew as a person, but he knows how to cheer someone up.

[sweettunez]

i don't get why everybody hates him so much, i actually like his stuff.

[hi_mynameisdrew]

I really like this guy, but this EP is certainly my least favorite of his.

If you haven't seen the latest blog-type thing he's posted all over the internet, he talks about how he started to "sell out" and write songs that he thought would get recognition, not songs he really believed in. And ima take a wiiild guess and say he was referring to this EP.

And don't even get me started on "Happy" -.-

New album's better, previous EP's are also much better.

[eatbabiesyum]

i like it, but it's my least favorite NSN release