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PropertyOfZack Review : : Every Avenue

On Bad Habits, Every Avenue continue to prove that there’s a place in the world for straightforward power-pop, a genre that—from its earliest days (Big Star, The Raspberries) through its subterranean late-20th-century highs (The Replacements, Material Issue) and up to its Disneyfied late-2000s coming-out (which was pretty much anyone in 2007 who wore neon and didn’t self-describe as br00tal)—has perpetually struggled for respect. All of those earlier bands, either maligned or merely ignored, crumbled under the weight of expectations unmet, only to see their legacy grow years after calling it a day. Every Avenue are, perhaps unwittingly, the latest outfit to pick up the burden, churning out three albums and an EP’s worth of sturdy, self-assured and relatively similar melodic rock tunes over the last four years on Fearless Records. On one hand, there aren’t going to be any surprises here; on the other, there’s something to be said for knowing who you are.

Which is not to say that there isn’t room to play around within the genre, and Bad Habits finds Every Avenue stretching their stylistic legs a little. Bad Habits features a few of what are pretty definitively the band’s angstiest moments, or at least moments when the angst in vocalist Dave Strauchman’s lyrics carries over into the music, sucked up by hungry guitars that grind and squeal as they choke it down with a newfound, gutty strength. (Speculation: guitarist Jimmie Deeghan’s recently grown Grizzly Adams beard contains Samson-like powers.) Best is “No One But You,” which throws those snarling axes over the top of a pounding swing beat. Elsewhere, “Whatever Happened To You” gallops along with some serious horsepower and Strauchman’s scruffiest vocals to date.

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Sometimes I feel like I try and stuff too much into one review. It’s always a struggle for me; it would be easy to just blow out another couple thousand words that address some other point but don’t really have anything to do with the album i’m reviewing. Alternately, I can never bring myself to chop it all, because what’s the point then.

Also, I habitually overrely on making comps to other bands. So much of my focus in writing about music is looking for context, and it’s an easy way to get to that, but it’s kind of a crutch too. Something to work on I spose.

Meta stuff aside, it’s a strong album from a consistently solid band who may never get the respect they deserve, and worth your time if you like good solid pop-rock.

Source: propertyofzack