I don’t like re-issues. I think they rip off fans and penalise those people who have supported a band from the very beginning. Tagging on an extra song and slapping the full price tag on it is unforgiveable and a slap in the face for genuine fans who have been there for a band from the very beginning. It’s therefore a bit of a relief that A Day To Remember have not only added an entire DVD to this release, but they’ve also added a clutch of new songs. And, on top of all that, in the first week of release this album was super cheap. While I’m still fundamentally against re-releases, at least the band and Victory had the grace to give the buyer good value for money.
I love this band and so I won’t give a full review of the album as a whole, you can just search out my original thoughts. Needless to say, this was Victory’s best release in 2007 and managed to fuse pop and hardcore in a way most bands fail miserably. The main attractions on this release are ‘Since U Been Gone’, the band’s Kelly Clarkson cover, and the DVD. The cover is featured alongside new demos on the audio section of CD1 and, let’s face it, is frickin’ genius. We all know the words and we all sing along and the band do a marvellous job. Thumbs up.
The DVD is a full live set from a hometown show in Ocala, Florida. It’s a small venue and runs through an energetic performance with songs old and new, plus the Kelly C cover. The band are tight and play with plenty of passion. There’s plenty of sweat and you can tell the band are not only having fun, but they’re also genuinely excited to be doing what they do. It’s well shot, there are a couple of extra videos and for the price, this DVD is worth a purchase alone.
I’m still not convinced by re-issues but credit where it’s due – this is excellent value for money even if you did buy the album first time round.