This Time Next Year

Road Maps And Heart Attacks

Written by: DR on 04/11/2009 22:55:30

This Time Next Year have actually been around since 2006, but have waited until now to release their debut full-length. Based on the evidence of previous EPs, the band aroused the interest of one of the better labels: Equal Vision Records, and were subsequently signed early 2009. They took their name from a song by The Movielife, and play pop-punk akin to New Found Glory. You know the sort, energetic, raw, upbeat tunes that was around before this new over-produced drivel.

"Rise & Fall, Curtain Call" starts the album, and in a way, sums it up entirely within the opening ten seconds. Furious drumming, power-chord heavy, with a duel-vocal approach that can only be described as gay (in the original sense of the word). "New Sensation" is the first single, and one of the best and most memorable songs, with a gang-vocal ending consisting of "You wanted the role, now you're playing the part, they’re dying to be just like you. Sing us a song where we can’t sing along and you’re the new sensation." helping to set it apart from the other nine. "Alex In Wonderland" demonstrates the two vocalists bouncing off one another at their best, and the chemistry between them is as good as it gets. "Rhyme And Reason" has just about the catchiest chorus I've heard all year, but towards the tail end of the album the songs do start to blend together. Which actually helps "Liquid Diet" shine as bright as it does - sooner or later you will succumb to the chorus of "Cause I am losing my mind, biding my time away."

Only four of the eleven songs ever exceed the 3 minute mark, so you can imagine what the album as a whole is like: short, sweet and spirited. There's not a whole lot of variety on "Road Maps And Heart Attacks", but is that really a bad thing? Eleven songs worth of fun pop-punk will satisfy anyone's needs, plus the lack of variation means they never really compromise on intensity, and keep up a constant pace without ever yielding your interest, whilst at the same time cramming your brain with hook after hook isn't easily accomplished, but This Time Next Year pull it off laudably. It may have the lasting value of a sparkler, maybe a big sparkler, but I'm sure you can spare half an hour for one of the best pop-punk releases of 2009. It'd be crime not to.

8

Download: Rise & Fall Curtain Call, New Sensation, Rhyme And Reason, Liquid Diet
For Fans of: The Wonder Years, New Found Glory, Fireworks
Listen: Myspace

Release Date 20.10.2009
Equal Vision Records

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