I would be lying if I said I don’t like the pop-punk genre. It may not be my favorite type of music to see live, but it’s definitely catchy, and there’s something to be said for that. However, I do find pop-punk to be a fairly stagnant genre- there’s just not a lot of variation to it.
Consequently, when I popped in The Audition’s new album Great Danger and was greeted with a song that starts out sounding like it could be by any of a handful of pop-punk artists, I was wary as to how the rest of the album would progress.
And, I’m happy to say, I was pleasantly surprised.
Great Danger is not just another generic pop-punk CD. It certainly has the characteristic catchiness of the genre, but it’s heavier than a lot of other pop-punk albums out there. There’s something about it that, while being a very fun album, has an edge and a somewhat mature feel to it.
Part of what sets this album apart from others of the genre is singer Danny Stevens’s voice. Stevens has a very strong voice, and a range to match. He sings with clarity and enunciation, and every word can be understood. Additionally, his voice maintains the power it has on the fast, upbeat songs, even when he’s singing slower, softer songs, such as “Run Away.” There’s confidence and control in Stevens’s singing, and it’s genuinely enjoyable listening to him.
From beginning (well, once you get past the first 20 seconds) to end, Great Danger is a great album. Occasionally, CDs will be good for the most part, but have a song or two that just fall flat in comparison to the others.
This isn’t the case with Great Danger. The songs are consistently good, and The Audition varies up the style enough that the songs don’t just bleed into each other. The overall vibe the band gives off with Great Danger is that of a band that is experienced enough to know what they’re doing and want to do that well, while at the same time not taking themselves too seriously and having fun with their music.
I’d definitely recommend giving Great Danger a listen—it’s an album that will appeal to a wide range of musical tastes, and keep you listening the whole way through.
Hot Tracks: The Art of Living, He’s All You Want, Run Away
June 1, 2010
