POP DISASTER’s anticipated sophomore album, Take Action is here and one of the two words in the name describes the release perfectly. Hint: it’s not “take”.
With their latest effort, the powerpop punk rockers explore a range of styles within the moderate perimeters of their genre. Some tracks on Take Action stray closer to sounding more like the band’s pop-punk influences while others take on a uniquely Japanese indie rock vibe. POP DISASTER unifies these two distinctive styles and others to varying degrees throughout the release which equals near magic.
Take Action launches straight to the point with the aptly titled “Start Again”. The action-packed genesis is loud yet tuneful and rises to an anthemic chorus. “Start Again” establishes the trend of things to come in the album’s proceeding 11 tracks.
Much of the album is characterized by climatic build ups abound with pumping, flowing dual guitars, crisp basslines, agile rhythms and fills, and hearty vocals.
Stand-outs come when more order is found amid the chaotic-yet-melodic music. This includes “Disconnect”, “Contradiction”, “Magic”, “No Regret”, and “Hesitate”. The latter two were featured on POP DISASTER’s impressive No Regret single. These tracks are more original and thus more memorable while tending to forgo genre restraints in different quantities.
Tracks like “So Many Ways”, “Cut to the Chase”, “R.O.D”, “Break the Silence”, and “Around the World” sound a bit more confined by convention but even they have their moments. These numbers don’t fall far behind the “stand-outs” though and while there is no substantailly weak track on Take Action, greatness is determined by originality.
Perhaps this lack of range between the album’s strongest and weakest points is the one problem. It took a few listens through Take Action to find the gems not named “Disconnect” and “No Regret”.
Take Action is a solid album that’s worth checking out. Some enjoyment may depend on personal preference but a handful of tracks achieve a more universal appeal.
POP DISASTER is vocalist Takayuki, guitarists Ebi and Hossy, bassist Richard, and drummer Maiko. The band, which is named after Green Day and Blink-182′s 2002 Pop Disaster Tour, formed in Osaka in 2003. They’re currently signed with Caffeine Bomb Records.
While POP DISASTER is heavily influenced by the likes of Green Day, Blink-182, and New Found Glory, they take the action further in a more original direction — especially with this latest release.
Watch the PV for “Disconnect”:
POP DISASTER’s official site, MySpace, & Audioleaf
By Polaris on February 22, 2009 at 12:43 pm
That’s pretty incredible, I heard about a band and SparkPlugged talks about it the next day… First Gulliver Get, then POP DISASTER… I wonder if it will go on this way… :-)
I only know Disconnect from POP DISASTER, and I like it a lot. I’s not a very original song, but it’s very catchy, just as it’s supposed to be. Too bad the PV is not interesting, except the parts were food crash down in slow motion. Reading your review, I’m pretty sure I will like the album.
By Shay on February 24, 2009 at 12:30 am
It’s good to know we’re on the ball like that =)