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Disc Debuts: 'The Black Swan' by Story of the Year
| 27-04-2008 08:42 | 0 reaction(s) | add reaction | add news |
 TAKING A STEP BACK ... : No matter how passionate and competent a music act is, timing is critical. Story of the Year's 2003 debut, Page Avenue, took off just as punk-flavored hard rock hit a steady gallop among suburban American adolescents. That CD and a more aggressive follow-up, In the Wake of Determination, have moved a million copies combined because of good timing and the band's consistent and frenetic live performances. But now, the St. Louis quintet has a quandary: It must move beyond catering to a youthful and fickle fan base that it plainly can't remain tied to. So it left major Maverick Records, signed with Epitaph and concentrated on hitting a shifting target.
... TO TAKE TWO STEPS FORWARD: With The Black Swan, Story of the Year has solidified a more classic and crisp rock sound – one that's much more athletic and inclusive instrumentally. It allows the band to revisit its bedrock arena-screamo exercises ("Choose Your Fate," the title track) as well as deliver a serviceable ballad ("Terrified"), a phenomenal progressive denouement ("Welcome to Our New War") and other moments of lyrical maturity. The transformation isn't finished – there are a few too many interchangeable angry-boy songs that aren't helped by Dan Marsala's often puerile singing – but the band should pull in a broader and older audience here.
BOTTOM LINE: The Black Swan is complete enough to break Story of the Year out as a post-punk Linkin Park. Barely.
Mike Daniel |
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