Eve 6
It’s All In Your Head
RCA
I’d rather cut off my ears than listen to pop-punk bands such as Blink 182 and New Found Glory. But against all the odds I really took to Eve 6’s hook-laden Horrorscope, with its consistently smart lyrics and irresistible melodies. Unfortunately, its much-awaited follow-up, It’s All In Your Head, doesn’t have quite the same impact.
In fairness, five or six of the album’s 12 songs recapture the spirit and quality of Horrorscope’s break-out single, “Here’s To The Night.” Otherwise, it appears singer Max Collins has spent too long running naked around hotel lobbies and not enough time writing good songs. The abominable acoustic bore of “Hey Montana” is particularly bad and the chugging “Not Gonna Be Alone Tonight” is dull and bland. The raucous abandon of “Still Here Waiting” and opening track “Without You Here” are enthusiastic, but Eve 6 sounds better when they stick to their strengths.
Those strengths are clearly demonstrated on the first single “Think Twice” and the anthemic “At Least We’re Dreaming,” while “Girlfriend” tries gamely to recreate the sound of “Here’s To The Night.” “Arch Drive Goodbye” offers something different, as Collins tackles the jolly subjects of rape and suicide on “Friend of Mine” – surely a first in a genre of songs about high school and break-ups.
On It’s All In Your Head, Eve 6 have tried to progress musically while retaining elements of their trademark sound only to find they’ve hit a glass ceiling. Although there’s enough here to save me from reaching for the scalpel, it’s a close call.
Eve 6: http://www.eve6.com/
