Drew Beringer
07/24/06, 08:47 PM
PARK - Building A Better ____
Park’s blend of dark pop and aggressive rock have brought them a massive following and created 2 critically acclaimed records and, finally, after 3 long years, Park is ready to release their highly-anticipated third album, Building A Better ____, to the waiting masses. Produced by Cameron Webb (Over It, Social Distortion), Building is an eleven-track rollercoaster ride, shifting between different emotions and vibes throughout. Building is sophisticated yet very assessable, Park looks to gain even more followers with their latest offering of fury and tender mercy.
The album kicks off with the chunky bass line of “The Trophy Wife,” a track featuring a jabbing guitar riff and a steady drum beat. Ladd Mitchell’s distinct vocals then show up, singing lines such as “I only wanted to be loved by you.” The next track is the heartbreaking “Mississippi Burning,” a haunting yet beautiful track about the horrible murder of Olamide Adeyooye, the girlfriend of the Junior Varsity’s Andy Wildrick. It begins with a delicate riff and Mitchell’s opening line of “More nightmares/someone wake me when they’re through/stop my lover’s ghost/trying to protrude.” A stinging guitar riff then flows throughout and crunches along with the chorus as Mitchell yearns “Is Mississippi done yet burning/most nights bleed every feeling/I must back to you somehow.” Yet the song really hits you at the bridge where Wildrick’s best friend from high school, Jo, beautifully sings over the hushed music. As sappy as it may sound, it’s hard to choke back the tears during this track, and is a reminder of taking care and cherishing every moment with your loved ones, because you never know when they’ll be gone. Another powerful track is “Angles and Errors,” a tender song with a very emphatic bridge once again. The power behind Mitchell’s voice backed by the crushing guitars and drum is really breathtaking. Following that track is the roaring “A Message,” an energetic song that features my favorite lyrics on the album. “Chica Chica” brings the overall pace up with staggered riffs and an upbeat rhythm section courtesy of bassist Alex Haycraft and drummer Miles Logan. The chorus is one that’ll be caught between your ears, with its addicting back “oh-whoa-oh’s” being the catalyst. “La Amoureux” is another track in the vein of the soft verse, loud chorus formula seen on many of the songs on this album. “Irukandji” begins with a subdued ringing tone in the background with a few “oh-oh’s,” as one guitar riff strikes repeatedly in contrast to a melodic riff being played. “Hide and Seek” is a hard-hitting track that clocks in at just a hair over 5 minutes. A track that holds nothing back, it incorporates a favorite child phrase in the chorus; it is the second strongest track on the album. Following this dramatic track is a secret track, which is an acoustic version of “A Message,” and this track closes the album on a somber note.
The blank in the title should be filled with It Won’t Snow Where You Are Going, because that is what Park seems to be doing with their third album. The Springfield, IL, quartet didn’t evolve much on this album, but why fixed something that isn’t broke? After many listens, many fans will discover this to be just as good as It Won’t Snow, and for some, they just may think this is the best work from Park yet. While the replayability factor on this album is high, the staying power and lyrics of this album are lacking. But for what Park lacks in lyrical depth, they make up with their brilliant musicianship, as each song draws you in immediately. In the end, if you love anything Park has done before, then you will adore this album. First time fans should check out No Signal and the aforementioned It Won’t Snow as well. Make sure to pick this album up ASAP, for whatever it is that is deficient in your life, Park will do their damnedest to build it up and make it better.
Tracklisting:
1. The Trophy Wife
2. Mississippi Burning
3. Who Is Aliandra
4. Angles and Errors
5. A Message
6. Chica Chica
7. La Amoureux
8. Irukandji
9. Intro
10. Hide and Seek
11 (bonus track). A Message (acoustic)
Produced by: Cameron Webb
Park are:
Ladd Mitchell - vocals/guitar
Alex Haycraft - bass/vocals
Aaron Bickle - guitar
Miles Logan - drums
Release Date: July 25, 2006
Record Label: Lobster Records (http://www.lobsterrecords.com)
Official Website (http://www.parkmusic.com); Official Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/park)
Park’s blend of dark pop and aggressive rock have brought them a massive following and created 2 critically acclaimed records and, finally, after 3 long years, Park is ready to release their highly-anticipated third album, Building A Better ____, to the waiting masses. Produced by Cameron Webb (Over It, Social Distortion), Building is an eleven-track rollercoaster ride, shifting between different emotions and vibes throughout. Building is sophisticated yet very assessable, Park looks to gain even more followers with their latest offering of fury and tender mercy.
The album kicks off with the chunky bass line of “The Trophy Wife,” a track featuring a jabbing guitar riff and a steady drum beat. Ladd Mitchell’s distinct vocals then show up, singing lines such as “I only wanted to be loved by you.” The next track is the heartbreaking “Mississippi Burning,” a haunting yet beautiful track about the horrible murder of Olamide Adeyooye, the girlfriend of the Junior Varsity’s Andy Wildrick. It begins with a delicate riff and Mitchell’s opening line of “More nightmares/someone wake me when they’re through/stop my lover’s ghost/trying to protrude.” A stinging guitar riff then flows throughout and crunches along with the chorus as Mitchell yearns “Is Mississippi done yet burning/most nights bleed every feeling/I must back to you somehow.” Yet the song really hits you at the bridge where Wildrick’s best friend from high school, Jo, beautifully sings over the hushed music. As sappy as it may sound, it’s hard to choke back the tears during this track, and is a reminder of taking care and cherishing every moment with your loved ones, because you never know when they’ll be gone. Another powerful track is “Angles and Errors,” a tender song with a very emphatic bridge once again. The power behind Mitchell’s voice backed by the crushing guitars and drum is really breathtaking. Following that track is the roaring “A Message,” an energetic song that features my favorite lyrics on the album. “Chica Chica” brings the overall pace up with staggered riffs and an upbeat rhythm section courtesy of bassist Alex Haycraft and drummer Miles Logan. The chorus is one that’ll be caught between your ears, with its addicting back “oh-whoa-oh’s” being the catalyst. “La Amoureux” is another track in the vein of the soft verse, loud chorus formula seen on many of the songs on this album. “Irukandji” begins with a subdued ringing tone in the background with a few “oh-oh’s,” as one guitar riff strikes repeatedly in contrast to a melodic riff being played. “Hide and Seek” is a hard-hitting track that clocks in at just a hair over 5 minutes. A track that holds nothing back, it incorporates a favorite child phrase in the chorus; it is the second strongest track on the album. Following this dramatic track is a secret track, which is an acoustic version of “A Message,” and this track closes the album on a somber note.
The blank in the title should be filled with It Won’t Snow Where You Are Going, because that is what Park seems to be doing with their third album. The Springfield, IL, quartet didn’t evolve much on this album, but why fixed something that isn’t broke? After many listens, many fans will discover this to be just as good as It Won’t Snow, and for some, they just may think this is the best work from Park yet. While the replayability factor on this album is high, the staying power and lyrics of this album are lacking. But for what Park lacks in lyrical depth, they make up with their brilliant musicianship, as each song draws you in immediately. In the end, if you love anything Park has done before, then you will adore this album. First time fans should check out No Signal and the aforementioned It Won’t Snow as well. Make sure to pick this album up ASAP, for whatever it is that is deficient in your life, Park will do their damnedest to build it up and make it better.
Tracklisting:
1. The Trophy Wife
2. Mississippi Burning
3. Who Is Aliandra
4. Angles and Errors
5. A Message
6. Chica Chica
7. La Amoureux
8. Irukandji
9. Intro
10. Hide and Seek
11 (bonus track). A Message (acoustic)
Produced by: Cameron Webb
Park are:
Ladd Mitchell - vocals/guitar
Alex Haycraft - bass/vocals
Aaron Bickle - guitar
Miles Logan - drums
Release Date: July 25, 2006
Record Label: Lobster Records (http://www.lobsterrecords.com)
Official Website (http://www.parkmusic.com); Official Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/park)