Echo Screen - Euphoria Record Label - Rock Out Records Release Date - 11/21/06
Here is a question for you: An average album hosts about ten tracks, give or take. How many of those need be awesomely rad to warrant a purchase or, at least, a positive review?
The first song off Echo Screen’s Euphoria, “This Letter Bomb,” brags a premier pop-punk chorus but not much else. “The Science of Stopping Time” falls short of convincing with a Punchline mask and a rack of unnecessary stalling. “Gloria” uses neat rhyming schemes and a major bounce factor. Up to this point, I haven’t found much of anything I love besides the second track, “Everything After Bradford,” a jewel from The Matches fanclub. All I’m getting is a simplified and high octane Fall Out Boy and Punchline hybrid.
And then I tune in to the partially unplugged “October.” Singer and guitarist Shaune Scutellaro is belting bullets, and his tenacious chords shift my tide to 2003. When I was a Dashie (early Dashboard Confessional mega-fan), I fell woozy to young boys canoodling their acoustic guitars. Scutellaro embraces the same PacSun enthusiasm and offers up a food court romance, which, by process of elimination, is better than the other ten tracks. What unsettles my instinct, despite the 11th grade swoon, is that I am more sold by Echo Screen’s obligatory acoustic crooner than the quicker beats. This seems odd and a bit depressing.
After “October,” it doesn’t get much meatier. I’m impressed by the integration of the on and off electronics in “The 5 Cent Tour Of The Pearly Gates Part 2: Our Fears,” but the closing track, “Submitted For The Approval Of The Midnight Society,” clashes with its own background vocals. Euphoria missed the seminar on intricate, less power chording guitar work, and behind Scutellaro, the instrumentation is mostly flavorless. I’d like to say his naturally high (and a bit whiny) vocal work doesn’t get irritating but then I would be lying. Most tracks don’t sell me at the foyer, however, none miss the boat completely. They appoint lyrical storyboards over Hallmark regurgitations and overall, Euphoria’s got a good flow and structure. Each track has something, often minute, that deserves a re-glance.
It may not hit all the marks (as fresh litter rarely do), but Echo Screen seem like wholly genuine folk. You can tell too, and that’s why I half-expected more. “Everything After Bradford” and “October” are the exceptions to sub-par, but I have a failing argument for Euphoria with only two breadwinners. Pop punk or not, I want more than the rudimentary.
Good review. I pretty much concur with what you said. I think in a couple of years if pop-punk can make a strong resurgence, Echo Screen might find a broad audience. But until then, I feel like it needs a little more "oomph."
I like this cd alot, I think too many people are hesitant to fall in love with it because its not doing anything groundbreaking. I think its a must hear for a lot of people.
Hahah, well, someone had to make the Final Fantasty reference. :)
I think this album is fantastic, and not just because I did the photography in the layout, hahah. The production is amazing and is what you'd expect from Shep Goodman. The song Gloria and the redone version of Rushmore (from off their American Tale EP) are definitely my favorite tracks off the record. The hooks are catchy, the rhyme schemes are clever, and I love Shaune's vocals.
It's definitely my favorite pop rock record to come out this year. If they keep signing groups like this, I really think that Rockout has some serious potential to be a great indie label.
Good review. I pretty much concur with what you said. I think in a couple of years if pop-punk can make a strong resurgence, Echo Screen might find a broad audience. But until then, I feel like it needs a little more "oomph."
I agree, a pop-punk resurgence is on the horizon. Part of the fun of being part of the music industry is predicting which direction it will take next.
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