Although I'd seen these guys countless times over the years, it was at the Warped tour a couple of years ago that I really stood back and realised just what they were capable of. It was towards the end of the day, and despite being stuck on the small local stage, up against someone of the likes of Pennywise, they pulled a fair majority of the crowd and put on an amazingly intimate and brilliant show. It's hard to believe it's been two years since their debut full length Eight Days Away was released, the first single from that album Is this the part? is still getting hefty commercial radio play. The new single Some Assembly Required should go some way towards getting radio to move on, but its the rest of the cd that really protrudes out, asserting the talent within. They don't reinvent the wheel, but what they do do is exert rock and metal influences into a driving, melodic punk base. You could argue they haven't moved on too much from the last one, but to counter that, who'd want them too? It's probably the tightest they've ever been, and the experience of producer Phil McKellar (Silverchair, Grinspoon) has a big impact. Favourite would be the hardcore tangled track Engines Failed, filled with Irrelevant style goodness; read powerful screaming, and driving, heavy melodies. If you get in fast, there's also a bonus b-sides disc, with some now very hard to get old favourites, including an endearing cover of Kasey Chambers Not Pretty Enough. There's nothing more touching than four large burly tough rockers wailing about crying too much. It's almost emo. It's also got last years single Keepsake, and one of my all-time faves, Robot.
(review by Rod)

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Tracklisting
1 NOTE TO SELF
2 MAYAKOVSKY HAD A GUN
3 ASTRONAUTS JOURNAL
4 JOHNNIE ON THE ROCKS[~2~]
5 1~}KEEPSAKE OUTRO - 2
6 2~}SILVERSPOONS
7 3~}HERE I AM
8 4~}KEEPSAKE
9 5~}TIMS BROTHER
10 6~}FRIEND
11 7~}NOT PRETTY ENOUGH
12 8~}AFTER THE FIRE
13 9~}STARRY NIGHT
14 10~}A MEASURE OF STRIDE
15 11~}ROBOT
16 SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED
17 WE ARE NOT SCIENCE
18 GOODBYE - IS NOT ENOUGH
19 SEVEN COLOURS
20 ENGINES FAILED
21 HEADLIGHTS
22 TASTE OF ROMANCE
23 BROKEN - FIXED

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