This is an open forum for staff members, contributers, and fans alike to submit their reviews on the latest music releases and concerts. In an industry that is drowning with overprocessed, grossly overrated, unoriginal crap these days, this is our chance to allow the real stars to shine, if only on our humble, little stage; and expose you to some of our favorite talents.
Reviews are given 1 - 5 stars.
24 Story Love Affair
Tounge Tied
Second Chance
Sex and Love
Sleepless Nights (Never Let Her Go)
Killin’ Me
When I’m With You
Summer Fades To Fall
Time Bomb
Obvious
You’ll Make It
It’s all about first impressions, right? And cover art is the first impression you typically get when you pick up a piece of music - before the digital age came in and kicked cover art’s ass out of Dodge, of course. So, if you were to follow that logic, based on the crooked-eyed surgeon holding a power drill, you’d think Faber Drive was a bunch of tweaked-out speed metal freaks effed up from their recent group lobotomy. The band picture - featuring the members sporting scrubs and saws, apparently in an operating room - wouldn’t really dissuade you from that assumption. But wait, not so fast. See, Faber Drive is almost exactly the opposite of the image they’re trying to create. Instead of sounding like four guys on the edge of mental stability, these guys clearly have their stuff together.
Emo is the new arena rock. I’m convinced of that. Instead of cranking up Journey’s Greatest Hits, we’ll be flipping on stuff like Faber Drive in 20 years. The album and it’s mix of emo, pop and rock is juicy, full of hooks and it’s fun. Sure, it sounds a little disposable since damn near ever artist in the genre sounds the same. And it’s a little hard to take a band seriously when they’re sporting names like “Faber”, “Krikit” and “Red Bull” but you have to give Faber Drive props for writing catchy tunes and being able to back them up with some first-rate musicianship.
Take this review with a grain of salt since I’m guessing that my two year-old daughter is closer to Faber Drive’s target demographic than I am, but Seven Second Surgery is a good album. It won’t change your life. It won’t convince you that rock isn’t dead. It won’t alter your perceptions of reality or make you a better person. But it will give you something catchy to sing along with on your way home from work.
Reviewed by: Chris Cactus | November 2007
