"The pop-tastic, hands-in-the-air-like-you-just-don't-care attitude of One Dollar Short, Midtown and the Juliana Theory is evident."
As someone who grew up during arguably punk's greatest era — the blink-182 led turn of the century — there's something nostalgic about If This Is All We're Going To Be. From the singalong chorus of opener Aeroplane, the pop-tastic, hands-in-the-air-like-you-just-don't-care attitude of One Dollar Short, Midtown and The Juliana Theory is evident, and as a listener you ride that pony 'til the record's end.
Singer Tyler Richardson — like Frenzal Rhomb's Jay Whalley and The Smith Street Band's Wil Wagner before him — wears his Australian accent on his sleeve. It does little to detract from the band's sound, though, rather giving it added authenticity.
If there's a criticism of the album it's that the record powers through its ten songs at the same pace, rarely giving you a chance to take a breath or see if Luca Brasi has more strings to their bow. Sure, single The Cascade Blues takes a lead from mid-career Grinspoon with its early verses based around a melodic guitar line, but for those not already enamoured with the punk genre, there's little to enjoy aside from some fine mixing by US producer Brian McTernan.
For punk fans, If This Is All We're Going To Be will have their hands in the air. And, like their preceding generation of punk rockers, that's exactly where the band want your hands to be.
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