Hmmm, what do we have here? A lot of pop punk, some rapping, some MxPx-style singing, some big rock riffs. High-adrenaline, strong songs. Good mid-range sonics and mixing provide powerful drums, resonant bass, and meaty guitar tones. Straight punk songs like "American Made" almost hold their own against any Slick Shoes or Dogwood track, while smooth '90s party rock beats like "Kick It" would fit perfectly on an early Sugar Ray album. There's even a straight hip-hop rap track hidden in the middle of the album.
Unfortunately, the lyrics and most of the raps bring to mind DC Talk or Audio Adrenaline...kinda cheesy in word and tone. The bed of edgy aggro-rock helps, but their credibility still needs a boost. They teeter on the edge, capable of falling either into the pit of overproduced commercial CCM rock or climbing higher into gritty, authentic punk/rapcore/rock.
You can probably bet on the former of the two, with their predictable, Christian lyrics. Most of the songs are encouraging cheerleading anthems, trying to fuse a sense of carefree fun with heavier spiritual issues. Fun stuff if you're under 18, which is fine. "Nintendo" goes:
I was thinking just today
another thought had come my way
of all the fun and joy nintendo's given me
it brought a smile to my face and it changed the human race
but nintendo can't set you free
salvation for you and me
you know God's the only one because he gave his only Son
I know a few kids who could do with that insight.
2.5 tocks
Other coverage for this album
HM Magazine #78Reviewed by Doug Van PeltKMG has not only purchased the entire Frontline catalog (thank you!), but they've started signing some good bands. American Made is their first venture into punk rock. These guys come together with tons of energy and meld melodic pop punk with some nice rap-like vocals and loud, crisp yet distorted guitars. What stands out in this day of the "Fun Only" agenda is the straight-up lyrics about God…
