Action Item – The World and I EP
Record Label: Unsigned
Release Date: June 10th, 2008
Its been tough for me to want to listen to a band that adds me on myspace. Not that I'm too lazy to make three clicks and stream a song, but I'd rather not fill my ears with music from a band that's half screamo, half powerpop and oh-so cleverly labels themselves "Ambient / Bluegrass / Hardcore," because it seems like that's all that I've encountered lately. However, I decided to try it again. One night, wanting to cure my boredom with new music, I scrolled through my friend requests to see what I could find. At random, I clicked on Action Item and was just happy that their lyrics weren't telling me to get crunk. Little did I know that a couple of months later they would be releasing one of my favorite EPs thus far in 2008.
Produced by Powerspace's Tom Schleiter, Action Item has crafted an EP of five songs that's sure to stick with listeners for a while. Although pop-rock tends to be a genre that some claim is overdone and over-saturated, The World and I offers a refreshing addition to the mix. Opener "Dress for the Weather" is catchy in all the right ways with its addictive chorus that doesn't need to repeat a line over and over again to get stamped into someones head. The next track "Second Chance" is the most aggressive on the EP yet it doesn't disrupt its flow. Guest vocals from Alec Cyganowski (Powerspace) are featured on "The People Who Matter Most," which is arguably the most radio-friendly and accesible track on The World and I. "I Woke Up in Tallahassee" and "Loved and Looked After" are the final two songs on the release and while not showcasing anything not found in the first three tracks, they maintain a good job of keeping my attention by staying with the formula that caught my attention in the first place.
Overall, The World and I is a highly enjoyable EP that I'll be spinning until their full-length. It has all the qualities that it takes to get Action Item noticed just like any other unsigned band with a praised EP in its genre, but unlike some of them, it isn't just a flash in the pan. There's no gimmicks, no dance parties, just music.
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