Album Review: Lifetime - 'Lifetime'
12 November 2007 | 4:08 pm
|
Staff Writer
Showing the kids how it's done...
There's not much that can be said about
Lifetime
that hasn't been said before. Their melody friendly approach to hardcore came at a time when negativity was all the rage and good song writing had taken a back seat to violence and apathy. After releasing what is widely noted as being their best album
(Jersey's Best Dancers
),
Lifetime
decided to call it quits, but in 1996 the band re-grouped for a few shows and fortunately for us they decided this reunion was to be somewhat permanent.
Although “
Lifetime
” was released in March of this year, this review is to celebrate the fact that Melbourne lads
Boomtown Records
have been able to secure a local deal for this great record... and just in time for their tour!
If you've never heard
Lifetime
but you're a fan of
Taking Back Sunday
and
Saves The Day
then you're going to be in for a shock. Why? Because as great as those bands are it's abundantly clear that their riffs have been handed picked from New Jersey's finest. This isn't a diss on groups that are influenced by those that have come before them (hell, even
Black Sabbath
were inspired by someone) but I'm highlighting just how influential
Lifetime
have been on an entire generation of punk and hardcore kids.
“
Northbound Breakdown
” is the perfect way to start a punk record. It's fast, the riffs are catchy and the chorus is as memorable as anything else I've heard in 2007 and what's most impressive is that after a decade
Ari Katz
voice still sounds amazing. “
Airport Monday Morning
” is no frills punk at its finest and once again proves that a band doesn't need technical proficiency to write a great song. Did I mention that the chorus is fucking gold!?
I cannot wait to hear the intro riff to “
Haircuts And T-Shirts
” live... simple as that! The bass driven second verse combined with
Dan Yemin
's trademark guitar work makes this a standout track on a record which is practically flawless. The mid paced “
Can't Think About It Now
” is as solid as anything in the band's back catalogue and “
Yeems Song For Nothing
” does a remarkable job of switching from a driving rock song to a thrashy punk number and back again without sounding awkward or un-natural.
Say what you want about Pete Wentz
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and Fallout Boy, but the dude was kind enough to sign Lifetime and in
turn, give us another punk rock classic. Buy it, learn the words and
go sing-a-long when they hit your town in December!
1. Northbound Breakdown
2. Airport Monday Morning
3. Just A Quiet Evening
4. Haircuts & T-Shirts
5. Can't Think About It Now
6. Spiders In A Garden
7. Yeems Song For Nothing
8. Try And Stay Awake
9. Song For Mel
10. All Night Long
11. Records At Nite
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