Matthew Tsai
12/18/08, 04:13 PM
Artist Vs Poet - Artist Vs Poet EP
Record Label: Fearless Records
Release Date: November 18, 2008
Shed a tear. Break a yawn. Take a nap.
It’s just another pop-punktronica album. While not nearly as contaminated as what the screamo/electronica genre has already lowered itself to be, current electropop is nipping at its heels, fighting for the position of being the crowned meridian of everything many music enthusiasts have worked so hard to efface – the chocolate chip cookie cutter “we all sound the same!” style.
Artist Vs. Poet almost fits like some baggy pants in this copycat genre. Artist Vs. Poet EP is essentially what all the scene peeps have been feasting on in their Warped Tour-infatuated rooms – some familiar Forever the Sickest Kids filling, a resolute Mercy Mercedes crust and a cute Every Avenue cherry for completion. It literally only takes a meager 3 seconds into the opener, “Runaway,” to fully comprehend every nook and cranny of Artist Vs. Poet’s sound. No more than 4-chords a song? Check. Splattered beats? Check. Nasally vocals? Oh baby, check. Well, at least there’s a scintilla of variety in lyrical themes (ie. regarding how hard life can be), but never deeper than, “It’s hard to keep on fighting / When all you know is losing.”
So why only almost a copycat scene record? There’s value in pointing out the final track, “All In.” The chorus poignantly yet proudly proclaims “Four chords, six strings / This is what we want our lives to be / We’re all in.” Here, Artist Vs. Poet lays out their passion. No, not a promiscuous passion, or a monetary passion, or even a “let’s get wasted!” passion. Leave those passions to true, little-talent scene bands like The Maine. Instead, Artist Vs. Poet sings of a passion for music, for which they’ve forfeited much and poured their lives into. At least that much is honorable. And at least that is what will enable them to survive as a band in the meantime. But first, they need to find their niche and distinguish themselves from “everybody else.” They need to stop following trends and drink from some potion of originality. Ultimately, they need to reevaluate the records they’re making. Then perhaps people will be able to look past the generic smokescreen that is Artist Vs. Poet EP.
Forever the Sickest Kids; The Maine; Mercy Mercedes; Every Avenue; We the Kings
myspace.com/artistvspoet (http://www.myspace.com/artistvspoet)
Record Label: Fearless Records
Release Date: November 18, 2008
Shed a tear. Break a yawn. Take a nap.
It’s just another pop-punktronica album. While not nearly as contaminated as what the screamo/electronica genre has already lowered itself to be, current electropop is nipping at its heels, fighting for the position of being the crowned meridian of everything many music enthusiasts have worked so hard to efface – the chocolate chip cookie cutter “we all sound the same!” style.
Artist Vs. Poet almost fits like some baggy pants in this copycat genre. Artist Vs. Poet EP is essentially what all the scene peeps have been feasting on in their Warped Tour-infatuated rooms – some familiar Forever the Sickest Kids filling, a resolute Mercy Mercedes crust and a cute Every Avenue cherry for completion. It literally only takes a meager 3 seconds into the opener, “Runaway,” to fully comprehend every nook and cranny of Artist Vs. Poet’s sound. No more than 4-chords a song? Check. Splattered beats? Check. Nasally vocals? Oh baby, check. Well, at least there’s a scintilla of variety in lyrical themes (ie. regarding how hard life can be), but never deeper than, “It’s hard to keep on fighting / When all you know is losing.”
So why only almost a copycat scene record? There’s value in pointing out the final track, “All In.” The chorus poignantly yet proudly proclaims “Four chords, six strings / This is what we want our lives to be / We’re all in.” Here, Artist Vs. Poet lays out their passion. No, not a promiscuous passion, or a monetary passion, or even a “let’s get wasted!” passion. Leave those passions to true, little-talent scene bands like The Maine. Instead, Artist Vs. Poet sings of a passion for music, for which they’ve forfeited much and poured their lives into. At least that much is honorable. And at least that is what will enable them to survive as a band in the meantime. But first, they need to find their niche and distinguish themselves from “everybody else.” They need to stop following trends and drink from some potion of originality. Ultimately, they need to reevaluate the records they’re making. Then perhaps people will be able to look past the generic smokescreen that is Artist Vs. Poet EP.
Forever the Sickest Kids; The Maine; Mercy Mercedes; Every Avenue; We the Kings
myspace.com/artistvspoet (http://www.myspace.com/artistvspoet)