Band: eleventyseven
Title: And The Land Of Fake Believe
Label: Flicker
Release Date: 5/16/06
Review By: Josh IndieVision
Tracklisting:
01. More Than A Revolution
02. A Stellar Sayonara
03. Nostalgiatopia
04. Myspace
05. Here With Me
06. The Unicorn Revolt
07. Anti-adieu
08. Odd’s And Even So’s
09. Teenage Heartbreak
10. Yesterday’s Glues
11. Reach That Far
Members/Duties:
Matt Langston: Lead Vocals, Guitar
Caleb Satterfield: Bass
Jonathan Stephens: Drums
The South Carolina trio known as Eleventyseven, have been together for nearly 4 years now. They have previously and independently released 3 projects already and now have garnered national attention with “And The Land Of Fake Believe”. Following the footpath of predecessors such as Blink 182 and Relient K, the band is helping in the re-emergence of pop punk yet again in the same decade. The genre had it’s hayday a few years back but we are yet again seeing a wave of bands pushing their way into the spotlight.
Eleventyseven bridges the gap of tongue-in-cheek and a serious side, a feat usually not attempted in this genre. It tends to be one or the other. The goofiness is clearly seen simply by looking through the song titles (“The Unicorn Revolt”, “Nostalgiatopia”) but the serious side is seen while browsing the lyrical content.
Musically, the band keeps things fairly upbeat, sticking close to pop punk roots, while not becoming a copycat of previous efforts. I hear their influences but I feel the band stands out enough to not be dismissed so quickly. I will say that I would like to see this band follow the maturing path, although I hope much quicker, of Relient K. It took Relient K a bunch of albums before really standing apart and “growing up”. I hope they learn quickly and build on their strong points. This band has a lot to say and thankfully the silliness offered at times, doesn’t hinder that message.
Standout Tracks:
“More Than A Revolution”, “Myspace”, “Yesterday’s Glues”
Overall Rating: A solid label debut for Flicker, in their first attempt at a pop punk release. While certainly not shattering, or even bending, the musical mold the band offers a catchy and enjoyable half hour of quick paced punk. Completely relatable in today’s teenage world, this band could easily garner an immense following if properly marketed.
Individual Ratings:
Album Art/Design: n/a
Lyrics: Let me be honest and say that if you’re looking to the pop punk genre for mind shattering lyrics you might want to rethink your strategy. It will never be that but what it does offer is a straightforward, honest, oftentimes lighthearted critique on modern culture. Lyrics deal with the 80’s (“Nostalgiatopia”), girls (“Here With Me”), breakups (“Teenage Heartbreak”, “A Stellar Sayonara”) and our lives as Christians (“Odd’s And Even So’s”, “The Unicorn Revolt”)
Marketability: With the hit track “Myspace” lampooning the ever popular website this band is bound to be heard. Thankfully someone has come along and mocked the obsession with myspace and the people that live their lives there. The first video is TRL type material of yesteryear and I think still clearly applicable today. I see a lot of potential with this group.
Production: Travis Wyrick branches out of his usual styles to take the helm as producer. His talent is clearly seen throughout this album. He is able to capture a full sound from the trio, which many debut punk releases fail to achieve. No complaints for this punk record.
Vocals: At times Langston’s vocals can get old, especially after repeated listens but overall it fits the genre. Pop punk is known for presenting a whiny sound (NFG, Simple Plan) and I don’t mean that in a negative way.
Similar To: Blink 182, Relient K, Stellar Kart, Simple Plan
Website
Myspace
Purevolume
Label
Buy:
Zambooie