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runningfree1
01/05/10, 10:56 AM
A Loss for Words - The Kids Can't Lose
Record Label: None
Release Date: May 12, 2009

Straight out of Massachusetts comes a pop-punk band that is new to many, but surely has been around for many years. A Loss For Words comes from hardcore roots with the East Coast pop-punk feel. They have a slew of previous releases that put them on track to record this great album. I noticed this band a while back and became interested in their pop-punk style. I like how they are so aggressive-- it's like an in-your-face approach to this style of music. There's never been a better kick in the balls for the pop-punk scene, telling you that great bands like these still exists. Therefore, The Kids Can't Lose is a great album.

The album starts with "Stamp Of Approval" and doesn't waste anytime getting deep into a kick two-step beat. The vocals have a great hook to them, making this song, among many on the album, catchy. This great opening truly gave me a great vibe about the rest of the album. The next song, "40 Theives", once again takes no break from the energy, blasting in a great guitar riff and exploding into a very catchy chorus. The lyrics for the chorus offer a great message, but I'll let you be the judge of that. To me, it seems like Matty Arsenault (vocals), has a point to prove about a lot of his personal problems that he has encountered, which is great, because thats what lyrics are about. Right on Matty!

"Where I'm From, You Die With Your Secrets" is the next track and it's probably one of the better tracks on the album. Once again, it has a very catchy chorus. I think if you're a band like this, almost every song has to a have a great chorus and A Loss for Words have done that successfully. I really took a liking to the second time they played the chorus. Around 1:52, they do like a chug sort of thing (showing their hardcore roots) and go right back into a very catchy guitar rhythm. As I traveled through this album, I kept noticing things I liked about Matty's lyrics. "Hold Your Breath" is the next track; it's a slower song but still great. There's nothing too special on this track, besides the constant catchiness that you find throughout the album.

"Mount St. Joseph", an acoustic track and a damn good one at that, is up next. I replayed this song about five to seven times to find what I liked about it most, but I couldn't put my finger on it. The vocal placement on the song is very well placed, and the guitars are up the to the par that they should be. Around 1:40 in the song, there comes a very meaningful lyrical part, that I highly recommend everyone take a look at. This track was on my top three of the album.

Damn, I'm only half way through the album. "The Promises You Keep (Burn This Bridge)" is a great follow up to the acoustic track. It's a bit more upbeat, obviously, but it has a great vibe, complemented by the great bass lines and great guitar riffs. There is a great guitar solo in this song that really sets a great vibe the middle of the song, that keeps you interested. Next track, "Heavy Lies The Crown," starts slow, then picks up quickly, then slows down quickly. Back and forth, the transitions in this song are great.

"Wasted Youth" comes up next, which is a great addition to the last part of the album. It's got a great chorus as well, and it really keeps you singing along with the album. The great addition of gang vocals in this song really complements the soft part in the song nicely. Then comes "A Half Step Down". I had previously listened to what I would assume to be the demo version of this song a while back and liked it, but after hearing this on the album, I was blown away. This song really showcases the hardcore roots this band has. I love the lyrical changes they made to this one. It's definitely the best track on the album.

"Behind Our Back" is the second to last track on the album. It's got a really great drum beat to it straight from drummer Jack McHugh, which really kept me interested in finishing the album. The middle of the song has some great jumpy parts to it with some gang vocals, then jumps into Matty showing off his vocal range with some great vocal work. "Hot Hand in a Dice Game" is the last track and it ends the album well. It starts off with a great guitar part. It's a bit of a slower song, but definitely not a boring last track.

Overall this album was great. I recommend this album to anyone who wants some new pop-punk to listen to. I can't believe this band is not signed yet. That really blows my mind.

Great Lyrics, New Found Glory, pop-punk

xapplexpiex
01/05/10, 11:49 AM
Huh. I might have to check these guys out.

runningfree1
01/05/10, 02:33 PM
Huh. I might have to check these guys out.
Do it, great album

Alex1410
01/05/10, 02:56 PM
this album is pretty good

COREhorizon
01/05/10, 07:08 PM
Yeah, I like it a lot, and was surprised the staff rated it so low.

jeffrayisrad
01/06/10, 12:33 PM
BACKED. Great review.

runningfree1
01/06/10, 03:48 PM
BACKED. Great review.
glad you enjoyed. spread the word about this album!

TylerReardon
01/06/10, 05:25 PM
This band is amazing! I've liked them since the first time i saw them a few years back and they're the nicest guys! Great review! Great album!

xpartyxfoulx
01/06/10, 11:10 PM
i love this album. great band live, as well. matty is one good dude.

Keagan Ilvonen
01/07/10, 10:41 PM
Good band, good album, definitely not a 91%.

MATTY-AL4W
01/08/10, 03:39 PM
thanks for the support everyone big news coming very soon!!!!!

flks511
01/09/10, 11:00 AM
Any band that plays pop-punk and was formed after the fall of Drive-Thru records should not earn a score above 75%.

runningfree1
01/10/10, 01:52 PM
Any band that plays pop-punk and was formed after the fall of Drive-Thru records should not earn a score above 75%.
i don't know when you consider the fall of drive through records, but a loss for words put out there first shit in '05. and the last couple release that i liked from drive-thru were from '04-'05. so.....yeah.

PoisonHeartsGTX
01/23/10, 06:02 AM
these guys have been around for a long time.
they have a great vibe live and are great for just a great time.

if you're looking for something super creative and original, you're looking in the wrong place.
if you're looking to just jam out and have fun with something marketable and catchy (which ISN'T wrong) go ahead and buy this record.

runningfree1
01/25/10, 07:13 AM
these guys have been around for a long time.
they have a great vibe live and are great for just a great time.

if you're looking for something super creative and original, you're looking in the wrong place.
if you're looking to just jam out and have fun with something marketable and catchy (which ISN'T wrong) go ahead and buy this record.
Well put.

MikeAL4W
02/12/10, 08:07 AM
Any band that plays pop-punk and was formed after the fall of Drive-Thru records should not earn a score above 75%.
Yeah We've been a band since 2000/2001 which I'd say was the Drive-Thru hey-day. Cool though man you definitely know you're stuff about us!

flks511
02/12/10, 05:39 PM
Yeah We've been a band since 2000/2001 which I'd say was the Drive-Thru hey-day. Cool though man you definitely know you're stuff about us!
Meh. My bad if I'm not familiar with your band. You know what I mean though. None of these pseudo-hardcore/easycore pop punk bands that are big these days (including yours) are anything special.

MikeAL4W
02/12/10, 09:07 PM
Meh. My bad if I'm not familiar with your band. You know what I mean though. None of these pseudo-hardcore/easycore pop punk bands that are big these days (including yours) are anything special.
Yeah we're no Alesana or Avenged Sevenfold. Sorry.

flks511
02/12/10, 09:41 PM
Yeah we're no Alesana or Avenged Sevenfold. Sorry.
Come on, that's a weak argument. Knocking my taste in music does not make your band better.

You can't deny the score on this review is way too high (a score of 90% or above, in case you're not familiar with the ratings, is reserved for hugely influential albums with stunning musicianship and relevance, and this album is not any of those things).

And in my opinion, no pop-punk in general should earn a score of 90% anyways.

MikeAL4W
02/13/10, 08:40 AM
Come on, that's a weak argument. Knocking my taste in music does not make your band better.

You can't deny the score on this review is way too high (a score of 90% or above, in case you're not familiar with the ratings, is reserved for hugely influential albums with stunning musicianship and relevance, and this album is not any of those things).

And in my opinion, no pop-punk in general should earn a score of 90% anyways.
My point is, why comment on someone's review, if you aren't into the band or that type of music in general in the first place? It just isn't necessary even if we do deserve a negative 8%. We suck, I get it, and I don't care how bad we suck, but all I'm saying is you shouldn't say things when you don't have the facts straight.

flks511
02/13/10, 10:00 AM
My point is, 1. why comment on someone's review, if you aren't into the band or that type of music in general in the first place? It just isn't necessary even if we do deserve a negative 8%. We suck, I get it, and 2. I don't care how bad we suck, but all I'm saying is 3. you shouldn't say things when you don't have the facts straight.
1. Because I'm kind of an asshole. Most AP.net members are. Either way, I just wanted to give my opinion - that's the way reviewers/bands get feedback. I've had negative comments in reviews I've posted, and while I'm not happy with them, I've never used the "You shouldn't comment on this if you don't like it anyway," argument. It really doesn't make sense.

2. Well that's a weird thing to say.

3. The year your band formed is a technicality. It doesn't make a difference because you're still going to be lumped in with the Wonder Years, Set Your Goals, Four Year Strong, Fireworks, and all those overrated hardcore-pop punk bands that didn't get big until recently. Pop punk died with Drive Thru, the only exceptions being bands that were already well-established in the scene by then.

MikeAL4W
02/13/10, 11:02 AM
1. Because I'm kind of an asshole. Most AP.net members are. Either way, I just wanted to give my opinion - that's the way reviewers/bands get feedback. I've had negative comments in reviews I've posted, and while I'm not happy with them, I've never used the "You shouldn't comment on this if you don't like it anyway," argument. It really doesn't make sense.

2. Well that's a weird thing to say.

3. The year your band formed is a technicality. It doesn't make a difference because you're still going to be lumped in with the Wonder Years, Set Your Goals, Four Year Strong, Fireworks, and all those overrated hardcore-pop punk bands that didn't get big until recently. Pop punk died with Drive Thru, the only exceptions being bands that were already well-established in the scene by then.

1. I guess Im kind of being a hypocrite, but I was thinking along the lines of if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all, even though yes, everyone on here, including myself, talks shit. It was the ignorant post Drive Thru thing you said that pissed me off.

2. That was my snide way of imitatiing how you think we suck. I was being facetious.

3. Have you ever listened to us? Like really listened? Just because we're friends with them/associated with them, doesn't mean we all sound alike. Granted some bands do, but we don't try to mimmick or sound like any of those bands. And just because you don't like those bands or that style of music, doesn't mean they're overrated.

Some of the bands you listen to I imagine are overrated, and this isnt an attack on your taste. Bands like Bring Me The Horizon and Blesthefall and Alesana, Attack Attack etc., its all the same drop C note with screams over it. But they sell shit out everywhere and they make a ton of money... and I'm not calling them overrated on their reviews, I'm just not commenting on them at all.

flks511
02/13/10, 03:38 PM
1. I guess Im kind of being a hypocrite, but I was thinking along the lines of if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all, even though yes, everyone on here, including myself, talks shit. It was the ignorant post Drive Thru thing you said that pissed me off.

2. That was my snide way of imitatiing how you think we suck. I was being facetious.

3. Have you ever listened to us? Like really listened? Just because we're friends with them/associated with them, doesn't mean we all sound alike. Granted some bands do, but we don't try to mimmick or sound like any of those bands. And just because you don't like those bands or that style of music, doesn't mean they're overrated.

Some of the bands you listen to I imagine are overrated, and this isnt an attack on your taste. Bands like Bring Me The Horizon and Blesthefall and Alesana, Attack Attack etc., its all the same drop C note with screams over it. But they sell shit out everywhere and they make a ton of money... and I'm not calling them overrated on their reviews, I'm just not commenting on them at all.
I'm not going to argue the first thing, you can just read my other post if you want a response.

And yeah, I've heard your album. It's not worth 91%. To earn that score, you should be doing something vastly influential and impressive. And you ARE just another one of those bands in the pop-punk resurgance, and you'll be on your way our as soon as SYG and FYS have had their fifteen minutes of fame.

It's cool that you told me what bands I listen to. You call me ignorant?

drevans18
03/23/10, 11:11 AM
Any band that plays pop-punk and was formed after the fall of Drive-Thru records should not earn a score above 75%.
i can't disagree more. drive thru sucks. they started well, then fucked themselves in the ass when they were HUGE douchebags to pretty much every band they've ever spoken to. and yes, they started well with pop-punk. but now there are so many good bands.

runningfree1
04/23/10, 08:21 AM
i can't disagree more. drive thru sucks. they started well, then fucked themselves in the ass when they were HUGE douchebags to pretty much every band they've ever spoken to. and yes, they started well with pop-punk. but now there are so many good bands.
Backed.
Just watched the Starting Line dvd yesterday. Depressed me.

drevans18
04/23/10, 10:56 AM
Backed.
Just watched the Starting Line dvd yesterday. Depressed me.
yeah man. like i can't say i don't like "Based on a True Story" or "Direction", because i do. but not NEARLY even close to how much i like "Say It Like You Mean It". so fucking good.

drevans18
04/23/10, 10:59 AM
1. I guess Im kind of being a hypocrite, but I was thinking along the lines of if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all, even though yes, everyone on here, including myself, talks shit. It was the ignorant post Drive Thru thing you said that pissed me off.

2. That was my snide way of imitatiing how you think we suck. I was being facetious.

3. Have you ever listened to us? Like really listened? Just because we're friends with them/associated with them, doesn't mean we all sound alike. Granted some bands do, but we don't try to mimmick or sound like any of those bands. And just because you don't like those bands or that style of music, doesn't mean they're overrated.

Some of the bands you listen to I imagine are overrated, and this isnt an attack on your taste. Bands like Bring Me The Horizon and Blesthefall and Alesana, Attack Attack etc., its all the same drop C note with screams over it. But they sell shit out everywhere and they make a ton of money... and I'm not calling them overrated on their reviews, I'm just not commenting on them at all.

haha. also, you guys are great. so are the wonder years, so are set your goals, so are new found glory, so are hit the lights, so were (sad) the years gone by. a great genre starting to make its comeback (or rather, SHOULD hopefully make its comeback).

Gautz
05/20/10, 03:00 AM
I really like the album, it's a good listen when driving with the windows down. I don't think it's worth a 91%, maybe a 78% would have been more appropriate but I still enjoy it A LOT!!!

Good review.