{"id":10773,"date":"2012-08-03T07:30:06","date_gmt":"2012-08-02T21:30:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/?p=10773"},"modified":"2012-08-03T00:22:53","modified_gmt":"2012-08-02T14:22:53","slug":"versus-the-world-drink-sing-live-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/2012\/08\/versus-the-world-drink-sing-live-love\/","title":{"rendered":"Versus The World – Drink, Sing, Live, Love"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>In 25 words or less: \u201cWhen you find that album that connects on first listen well then I think you\u2019ve got something pretty special.\u201d<\/p>\n

Versus The World have just released their new album, seven years after their debut, which has gotta be some record somewhere ha ha.\u00a0 The good thing is, this is new band to me, I dig that I can discover a band on their second album and instantly want to go back and check out the debut.\u00a0 That\u2019s how good I think this album is.\u00a0 When you have a mix of players (all coming from well-known punk \/ rock bands) including Mike Davenport ex \u2018The Ataris\u2019, Chris Flippin from \u2018Lagwagon\u2019 and Donald Spence and Bryan Charlson from \u2018Crooks and Liars\u2019, then you\u2019d think they\u2019d have a pretty good idea on how to put a record together.\u00a0 Well, let me tell you this, they do.<\/p>\n

From the opener \u2018She Sings The Blues\u2019 and surely their show opener, I was instantly hooked, up tempo punk rock crunchy guitars along with a kick ass melody, if this is what the rest of the album sounds like then sign me up.\u00a0 It was a great way to start and it just keeps giving from there, \u2018Mason Grace\u2019 has music in our blood but first single \u2018A Fond Farewell\u2019 is a better song than a band like Fall Out Boy ever did, this should, and could, and should get the attention of people with its catchy groove and hum along capabilities it\u2019s Gold for Versus The World (sorry, been watching too much of The Olympics) that was a perfect example of pop punk rock.\u00a0 Check out the video below to see if you agree.<\/p>\n

\u2018The Kids Are Fucked\u2019 not only gives us the best song title of 2012, but also a perfect lyrical song about the youth of today, for a full insight in to the song, check out our interview with Mike Davenport below, and it\u2019ll make a whole lot more sense.\u00a0 It\u2019s another belter and it made me feel like that cranky old man shaking his fist at kids, see, it did its job perfectly.\u00a0 \u2018Lullabye\u2019 hits you in the face with its riff and punchy 2:30 running time it is hardly to be used to put you to sleep, but this one balances out along with some stellar playing from Chris Flippin who really shines on this album, I suppose twenty plus years in the business you\u2019d want to be good at what you do.\u00a0 That\u2019s another Gold medal for you Chris.\u00a0 \u2018A Love Song For Amsterdam\u2019 is a great concept lyrically and hits one hell of a groove, the progression musically in the chorus is on the money and this is actually my stand out on the album as of right now.<\/p>\n

A song named after the band that the singer and drummer are in, but the other band, not this one?\u00a0 Awesome.\u00a0 \u2018Crooks and Liars\u2019 is actually a great track, using that same driving guitar and bass line under the verses to give the band somewhat of a familiar sound across the board, I love what they\u2019ve done with this song and all the songs in general. \u2018Oh Brother, Where art Thou\u2019 kicks it along a little further with another rocker and leads nicely in to \u2018Fear of Finale\u2019 which I can see being belted out on stage with everything they have, fast paced, intense and rockin\u2019.\u00a0 \u2018Donner Pass\u2019 is as punk as you\u2019ll get on the album, which is a little different to the rest of the album, but still suited perfectly where it is in the mix.\u00a0 Production wise this album is so well done, not only the tracks but the entire layout, case and point, we\u2019ve just come out of punk madness to a single guitar and vocal kicking off \u2018Angry February\u2019 a complete contrast to its predecessor, that is until around two minutes in where it explodes into a massive rocker, I didn\u2019t see that coming, but it sure as hell worked.<\/p>\n

To close out the album we have \u2018We Were Alive\u2019 and bonus track \u2018Short Music For Tall People\u2019, so on \u2018We Were Alive\u2019 this is close to one of the best on the album in my opinion, once again showcasing the melody and musicianship that has worked so well throughout this album, an epic and I don\u2019t really like using that word, but I did, so there, but as I was typing, the epic ending to this track was a perfect way to end \u2018Drink, Sing, Live, Love\u2019 and I enjoyed a lot.\u00a0 The bonus track is just that, a bonus, it doesn\u2019t really for mine fit with the rest of the album, but a rockin\u2019 guitar solo almost changed my mind, yet I\u2019ll just pretend the album finished with \u2018We Were Alive.\u2019<\/p>\n

The entire album is helped by this style of music being just so easy to enjoy and hard to fault, it\u2019s upbeat, it\u2019s melodic and full of hooks.\u00a0 Sure this \u2018genre\u2019 isn\u2019t for everyone as it gets labelled or dumped on, but seriously, get over it and just grab a great release of new music!\u00a0 I\u2019m always dubious when you have no idea what to expect of a band you don\u2019t know and or an album you\u2019ve never heard, but when you find that album that connects on first listen well then I think you\u2019ve got something pretty special.\u00a0 Let\u2019s just hope it\u2019s not another seven years between albums\u2026<\/p>\n

Check out our interview with Mike Davenport here\u2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Essential Information<\/strong><\/h2>\n

From:<\/strong> Santa Barbara, CA, USA<\/p>\n

For fans of:<\/strong> Pop Punk Rock<\/p>\n

Release date:<\/strong> 3 August 2012<\/p>\n

Record label:<\/strong> 3 Wise Records<\/p>\n

Producer: <\/strong>Thom Flowers<\/p>\n

Website:<\/strong> http:\/\/www.versustheworld.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Track listing:<\/strong>
\nShe Sang The Blues
\nMason Grace
\nA Fond Farewell
\nThe Kids Are Fucked
\nLullabye
\nThese Bones
\nA Love Song for Amsterdam
\nCrooks and Liars
\nOh Brother, Where art Thou
\nIn Fear of Finale
\nDonner Pass
\nAngry February
\nWe Were Alive
\nShort Music for Tall People (Bonus Track)
\n\n

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