Album: “Move Along”

Description

The All-American Rejects: Tyson Ritter (vocals, bass instrument, Theremin); Nick Wheeler (guitar, classical guitar, banjo, sitar, talk box, programming); Mike Kennerty (guitar); Chris Gaylor (drums, percussion, background vocals). <p>Additional personnel include: Lenny Castro (percussion). <p>Recording information: Bay 7, Valley Village, CA; Sparky Dark, Calabasas, CA; Sunset Sound, Los Angeles, CA. <p>Hampered for some time by the implosion of their label Dreamworks, Oklahoma's All-American Rejects finally followed up their self-titled 2002 debut three years later. Happily, MOVE ALONG sounds like almost no time at all had passed between outings. Kicking off with the brash punk-pop of the first single, "Dirty Little Secret" (which features a killer distorted guitar riff), MOVE ALONG keeps things lively. The songs are short and the choruses are tailor-made for shouting along with, as people undoubtedly will. As before, co-leader Nick Wheeler decorates the songs with more odd touches than one would expect from an otherwise straightforward pop-punk band, layering sitar, banjo, theremin and hip-hop-flavored electronic beats into songs that otherwise sound little different from the likes of Blink-182 or Good Charlotte. Highlights include the sneering "Stab My Back," and the flamenco-inflected rocker "Top of the World."