“first_grade_crush”
First Grade Crush
it’s not you, it’s me
Jump Up!
The bio for First Grade Crush says that the band originally started out as a punk outfit. Now, I’m not too sure what to make of this, being that half the album already sounds like a couple kids that should have never left the garage. In other words, this album has “punk rock” written all over it. Unfortunately for the listener, however, the music provided by the seven members of this band just doesn’t make the grade…pun intended.
But alas, there is an attempt at diversity on this album. What tracks aren’t passed off as punk are either feeble attempts at ska or what I’m assuming was intended to be hardcore – indiscernible lyrics and all. When it comes down to it, though, I think the future of this band might have been brighter if they didn’t try to expand their horizons… because, quite frankly, they’re not very good at it. The horn lines repeat themselves far too often for comfort, the songs aren’t too catchy, and there’s a better percentage of winning the lotto than there is having the vocals actually land on key. Tunes drastically change tempo and genres at random times, and the whole thing just sounds incredibly unorganized. I don’t mean to sound too harsh, but I think one would sooner die than listen to this album in its entirety… let alone at all!
Jump Up! Records, 4409 1/2 Greenview, Suite 2W, Chicago, IL 60640; http://www.jumpuprecords.com
