Fueled By Ramen are the 2006 version of what Drive Thru Records was in about 2001/2. Let’s face it, at the turn of the century the world was DTR’s oyster – everything they released (literally) went Gold and subsquently they not only spawned a stack of soundalikes (look at New Found Glory and Finch for bands sparking a wave of copycats), but also lost most of their acts to major labels – who in turn diluted the relevant ‘scenes’ by peddling pointless rip-off merchants. I personally don’t think DTR has ever recovered and Fueled By Ramen have since stepped up and ripped their crown clean off. With Fall Out Boy, The Academy Is and Panic! At The Disco already part of the team, new bands like Forgive Durden and This Providence join the likes of Lifetime in ripping things up in 2006. But amongst the successes, there’s a cool little band on FBR that has been a little overlooked…
Punchline have been kicking about for a bit, but haven’t had nearly the same success as FBR’s other bands. Admittedly their last record probably arrived before FOB released their records, but for whatever reason they’ve become the label’s forgotten men. Until now. ’37 Everywhere’ reminds me a lot of Allister – continuing the Drive Thru comparisons – with plenty of melodies and hooks and singalong bits, but doesn’t quite have enough in the tank to hit the big leagues. And in a similar vein, Punchline‘s newest effort, while good, is destined to lie in FOB and Panic!’s shadow.
And that’s a shame because there are plenty of highlights on this record – and not just the songs. The fold-out casing and artwork is among the best released this year, really standing out from the pack and it suits the music. ‘Flashlight’ is a little cracker to start things off, with guitars cracking and fizzing and the vocals as strong as any FBR release this year. Strangely for a pop-punk record, the production isn’t quite as hot as some of the other FBR releases, making this less sugary and instant. It is, however, a lot more rocking – and perhaps this was the effect the band wanted to recreate. Punchline are at their best when they’re peeling off guitar riffs and singing like they mean it.
There are plenty of catchy choruses on this record, with none more so than ‘Don’t Try This At Home’ and ‘The Fake, The Snake and The Birthday Cake’. ‘Green Light’ is another that sticks out on the first few listens, while ‘Caller 10’ has a great palm-muted riff that will have your foot tapping in no time. This isn’t a record that will reinvent the pop-punk genre, but it’s destined for repeated summer listening.
www.punchkids.com
Fueled By Ramen
paul