I Call Fives- Bad Advice
Washington Township, NJ
No Sleep Records
Release Date: May 25, 2010
By: Darryl Norrell
For fans of: New Found Glory, The Starting Line, any pop-punk band ever
On
Bad Advice, east coast wall-bouncers I Call Fives don't seem to have any illusions about what they're here to do. They are a self-declared pop-punk band, and (brace yourself) maybe that's the problem on this EP. It plays out like a huge self-fulfilling prophecy. Cloyingly-poppy vocal harmonies duke it out with -- surprise! -- power chords and stock MTV-mo leads to create exactly what you're already thinking of: nothing particularly new.
Alas, silver linings. Good thing they don't keep you waiting -
"Elevator Music" brings the hooks, and not a moment too soon, as it's sandwiched in between some seriously forgettable speed-fests.
"Two Days or a Lifetime of Failure," easily the best song here, hints at something promising: clever guitar interplay and, perhaps, a propensity to experiment with real ways to push pop-punk past imitation and into the 21st century. They round it out appropriately with somber acoustic number
"Take the Fall," neutering their yeoman-like rhythm section until the lukewarm climax. Why do I feel like I've been through this before? The execution is here. Make no mistake;
Bad Advice is a solid pop-punk record, but we don't need that anymore. This is a sound that's already been developed, had its fun, and beaten itself into submission.
I Call Fives have turned out an admirable effort much too late, rendering this EP little else besides a capable, caffeinated rock album in an oversaturated scene. Dig deeper, boys -- you don't have to go bland to be fun and unpretentious.
