| |
| Hint: Follow a reviewer to be notified when they post reviews. | Author's Rating
| Stiffler - Good Till' Your Heart Pops | Stiffler – Good Till’ Your Heart Pops
Release Date: November 29, 2005
Record Label: Independent
Yeah, I’m probably supposed to start this review off with some comment about Stifler and American Pie, but I won’t. I guess I just did, sort of—fuck.
Stiffler’s Good Till’ Your Heart Pops, an unabashedly pop punk/pop rock album, is a somewhat hit or miss record which often showcases excellent pop sensibilities, and when I say hit, by the way, I do mean hit—a few of the songs on the album, most notably “My Addiction,” could easily be all over MTV/TRL (I’ve literally woken up several times and regained consciousness with the chorus of “My Addiction” playing over and over in my head. It’s that catchy. Perhaps the catchiest song I’ve heard all year.). Unfortunately, the album is hindered by lackluster production, which will probably prevent the band from gaining the attention they deserve.
Most of the songs on Good Till’ Your Heart Pops, particularly “My Addiction,” “Bullet-Proof Heart,” and “Brooklyn Burns,” feature poppy, soaring choruses, complete with thickening vocal harmonies and doubles, so if you don’t like your pop punk served with sugar, steer clear. However, if you’re into bands such as Hit the Lights and the like, I’d definitely suggest giving the album a listen—it’s fun, catchy-as-fuck, not-a-care-in-the-world, well-written pop punk, and that’s what I like about it. A lot of the choruses on this album are pure gold; I smile when I hear them. Some songs fall a little flat though, mainly due to vocal melodies in the verses. "My Addiction"'s chorus is top notch, but the verses could use a little work, and the same goes for “Brooklyn Burns”—the really cool guitar-layered choruses (complete with ghetto-licious beat and all) are great, but the verses are just a little disappointing.
While a good amount of the songs themselves are virtually mainstream-ready, the production is nowhere near close to giving the songs the impact that they need, and occasionally the vocals could use some work (sometimes the vocals are great though—falsettos abound in “Friends Turned Enemies,” a piano-layered song, and most of the choruses sound damn good). Production-wise, the guitars and drums are thin and lack substance, and there’s just too much high end in general. Also, the mix really puts the drums and vocals too far in front, which gives the album an amateur-ish feel. I’d love to hear this album re-recorded with a big time producer, because these songs really do have the potential to be huge, and with just a little fine tuning here and there, better tones, and a better mix, this could be one of the best pop punk releases this year. This record may not be the one that garners the band lots of attention, mainly due to the production, unfortunately, but I’m willing to throw down money that record labels will realize that the band and the record are diamonds the rough—Stiffler won’t be unsigned for long. |
|
|
Displaying posts 1 - 11 of 11. |
03:44 PM on 11/24/05 | Haha, ghetto-licious eh...I've gotta give it a try. | | |
|
03:56 PM on 11/24/05 |  Ghetto-licious it is | | |
|
04:41 PM on 11/24/05 | good review. i agree with it, even tho i havent listened the whole album lol (but just the three songs they have on myspace). Despite the name this band is pretty good. | | |
|
05:53 PM on 11/24/05 | TAP played a show with stiffler in NH. they totally know how to work the crowd. Great stuff.
Hey... stiffler guy... contact me about setting up a show in NYC. | | |
|
05:54 PM on 11/24/05 | Originally Posted by the rog TAP played a show with stiffler in NH. they totally know how to work the crowd. Great stuff.
Hey... stiffler guy... contact me about setting up a show in NYC. |
i only refer to you as stiffler guy because i'm not sure which one you are. | | |
|
07:40 PM on 11/24/05 | jst wanna say that stiffle is one of the greatest up and comming bands i have ever heard...they have killer fan and hXc shows...i just love those guys...ok, ok, so i know them, no biggie...i jst rele think theyre awesome...and "Brooklyn Burns" is an awesome song and video...check it out on their myspace! | | |
|
05:58 PM on 12/04/05 | I like this record....its delicious | | |
|
05:53 PM on 06/01/06 | hey stiffler ... you guys absolutely rock ... cant wait til your back in philly
-Shawni | | |
|
|
| Options
More From This Author |
Browse Reviews
Write a Review
Alphabetized Listing
Popular Reviews
Best New Music
View Signature
Posts: 15
View Profile Picture
Currently Playing
Follow This Review
More Reviews By This Author