NEW FOUND GLORY
Catalyst (Drive Thru)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

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They can play their instruments well enough, and they certainly have developed a sound. My problem with New Found Glory is that a very little goes such a long way. The sound of Jordan Pundik's voice doubled or tripled in harmony is really quite nice, and for a song or two the sound the band surrounds him with works well, but I'm restless by the third track and ready for a change by the fourth. I suspect it wouldn't matter which tracks I picked. None of them are bad. They're just not particularly different. They all have the same kind of rhythmic drive, the same wall of vocals, and the same production ideas emphasizing all of that. In other words, they're just right for the modern era of pop-punk and the masses will eat 'em up. Probably already are. There's a standout, however: "All Downhill From Here," a radio-friendly track chosen as a single and supplied here in audio and video form, including a video of the making of the video. The vids are fun, and again, none of this is bad at all, so if they would just spread their wings a bit for the next album I think they'll have something.

© 2004 - DJ Johnson