Tooth and Nail. The Jersey-based, girl-fronted, punk-influenced pop band's third album, was recorded and produced by Stephen Egerton and Bill Stevenson (Descendents/All) at their studio in Colorado. Check out their web site at www.element101.com
Element101 has brought us an album that lends a breath of fresh air to a genre that has definitely been done over and over again. On Stereo Girl Element shows us that this band knows how to play their instruments. Everything from Sal's moving bass lines to Chris's, at times "Van Halen sounding" guitar leads goes to show that Element isn't another one of those pop punk bands to just write off. Actually I even find myself having a hard time calling this pop punk. Sure the energy of a punk band is here, yet the music seems more complex...in its own kind of way. Showcasing a sound that often reminds me of 80's pop, some of today's indie rock and yes still some of that same Element sounding pop-punk.
Crissie's vocals sound the best they have ever sounded, although I did miss the male vocal harmonization that their last album had a bit more of. On "Stereo Girl" the band decided to just overlap Crissie's vocals to bring in the harmony. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I think it may have worked out better if Chris would have done some harmonizing a little bit more on this album.
Overall the tempo of the album is a little more mid-paced than I had expected. Tooth and Nail seems to be dubbing this as an album that really rocks, but I don't think that's necessarily the best way to describe it. Definitely a lot more slowed down and thought out than debut Tooth and Nail release, Future Plans Undecided.
The one thing I found interesting and I haven't heard the official word from the band on this yet. But the introductions to, "Standing on the Edge of the Night" sound almost identical to the Cure's "Close to You". Overall this is a great release that won't bore you with the same old sound.
B+
Other coverage for this album
Decapolis 2001Reviewed by ChrisTooth and Nail. The Jersey-based, girl-fronted, punk-influenced pop band's third album, was recorded and produced by Stephen Egerton and Bill Stevenson (Descendents/All) at their studio in Colorado. Check out their web site at www.element101.com There aren't enough bands these days who don't just sound like a mish-mash of other bands and influences, but who come out with something fresh, unique,…Art for the Ears 2001Reviewed by Marco PovervestPunkish pop ditties, that's perhaps the best way for me to describe the songs of this New Jersey band. Compared to their previous musical piece this disc is even more poppy and less punky. The punkish twist is still clear in some of the songs (Just To Like You) but it's pushed further in the back now. The focus is on the fragile vocal pop styled singing of Crissie Verhagen and the rocking…The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Matthew RiddleThere are many, many, many, bands in this world, some good, some not. We all compare bands to other bands: "They sound a lot like...." In reviews, I often list a few artists of similar style and sound to give you, the assiduous reader of my ramblings, an idea of what to expect when the reviewed album is listened to. I admit that with Element 101 I got nothing. This quintet from New Jersey plays a…Similar sounding releases
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