CellarGhosts
07/29/08, 06:02 PM
Automatic 7 - At Funeral Speed
Record Label: Mental Records
Release Date: November 13, 2007
Hailing from Los Angeles, California, Automatic 7 play a spirited brand of melodic punk rock that echoes the likes of Social Distortion and Face To Face. Opening with "40 Blocks," a song that kicks off the album well with a thunderous strain of power chords before relaxing into a brief bass/drum respite before exploding into an instantly catchy chorus, At Funeral Speed is sure to satisfy anyone who enjoys well-crafted pop-punk.
There is plenty of the melodic punk rock staples here: soaring octave chords, winding bass lines, and big harmonies, Automatic 7 waste no time letting the listener know that there's no bullshit about this record. Though the band may not be covering any new ground, they sure aren't attempting to fix what ain't broke. Songs like the single, "All The Happiness You Can Buy" and the bouncy "The Better Part Of Me" reveal a band truly passionate about what it is they do. Another interesting point in At Funeral Speed is their cover of the Bruce Springsteen classic "Atlantic City." While many people might consider a punk rock take on such a classic song a bad thing, it comes across as a faithful tribute to The Boss, the song's personal lyrics sounding right at home amongst the rest of the album's introspective lyrical moments.
There are no truly "bad" songs on At Funeral Speed, but certain tracks do overshadow the others. "Ghost-Like" drags on a little too long, however it is not unlistenable in any way. "Not Enough" is another example of a good song being pushed aside by the stronger moments surrounding it, as it comes before what is possibly the best song on the album, the closing track "Bad Tattoo." With it's slower, yet well-paced verses, gigantic, infectious chorus, the song closes the album perfectly, leaving the listener feeling as if they've actually just experienced something, the mark of a truly good album.
In conclusion, there's nothing new or ground-breaking to be discovered here. However, it is really well-executed punk rock, something becoming less and less prominent these days as painfully mediocre mall-pop dominates the airwaves. If you're looking for a fun, anthemic rock album, At Funeral Speed is for you.
Lagwagon, Social Distortion, Face to Face, The Bouncing Souls, No Motiv
myspace.com/automatic7songs (http://www.myspace.com/automatic7songs)
Record Label: Mental Records
Release Date: November 13, 2007
Hailing from Los Angeles, California, Automatic 7 play a spirited brand of melodic punk rock that echoes the likes of Social Distortion and Face To Face. Opening with "40 Blocks," a song that kicks off the album well with a thunderous strain of power chords before relaxing into a brief bass/drum respite before exploding into an instantly catchy chorus, At Funeral Speed is sure to satisfy anyone who enjoys well-crafted pop-punk.
There is plenty of the melodic punk rock staples here: soaring octave chords, winding bass lines, and big harmonies, Automatic 7 waste no time letting the listener know that there's no bullshit about this record. Though the band may not be covering any new ground, they sure aren't attempting to fix what ain't broke. Songs like the single, "All The Happiness You Can Buy" and the bouncy "The Better Part Of Me" reveal a band truly passionate about what it is they do. Another interesting point in At Funeral Speed is their cover of the Bruce Springsteen classic "Atlantic City." While many people might consider a punk rock take on such a classic song a bad thing, it comes across as a faithful tribute to The Boss, the song's personal lyrics sounding right at home amongst the rest of the album's introspective lyrical moments.
There are no truly "bad" songs on At Funeral Speed, but certain tracks do overshadow the others. "Ghost-Like" drags on a little too long, however it is not unlistenable in any way. "Not Enough" is another example of a good song being pushed aside by the stronger moments surrounding it, as it comes before what is possibly the best song on the album, the closing track "Bad Tattoo." With it's slower, yet well-paced verses, gigantic, infectious chorus, the song closes the album perfectly, leaving the listener feeling as if they've actually just experienced something, the mark of a truly good album.
In conclusion, there's nothing new or ground-breaking to be discovered here. However, it is really well-executed punk rock, something becoming less and less prominent these days as painfully mediocre mall-pop dominates the airwaves. If you're looking for a fun, anthemic rock album, At Funeral Speed is for you.
Lagwagon, Social Distortion, Face to Face, The Bouncing Souls, No Motiv
myspace.com/automatic7songs (http://www.myspace.com/automatic7songs)