Power chords, lyrics laden with angst, and the kind of musical sensibilities that are all too common on the soundtracks of big-budget no-brainer American teen movies.
Power chords, lyrics laden with angst, and the kind of musical sensibilities that are all too common on the soundtracks of big-budget no-brainer American teen movies: listening to this re-release of 'Every Second Counts' is like jumping on a time machine and discovering we've returned to the pop-punk dominated charts of 2001.
Rather confusingly, Plain White T's opt not to open the album with a big, bold statement-making sucker punch of a track; instead - especially for the re-release - they deliver the big soppy selling point straight away. 'Hey There Delilah' - a sweet, soft ode to the pain of long-distance relationships - is cheesy, clichéd and probably not okay to confess a liking for if you've got a penis.
As for the rest of 'Every Second Counts'? Well, it's a bit like a bitterly-ended relationship; it's difficult to remember what we liked about it in the first place. 'Come Back To Me' is forgettable soft-rock-by-numbers - with its buzzing guitars and tender melodies, it's the sort of stuff that just begs to be featured on an episode of One Tree Hill. 'Write You A Song' is truly nauseating - presumably intended by the band to act as another winner for the 'Hey There Delilah' fans, the chorus could make anyone gag. 'You And Me' is like a bad nursery rhyme, both lyrically and structurally, while 'Figure It Out' reminds us all too much of a track of the same name by everyone's favourite teenager Lil' Chris; it's a shame that, in comparison, Plain White T's should be old enough to know better.
For all our whining, though, the band do deliver some hits that should, if there's any justice, go down in history in the pop-punk hall of fame. 'Friends Don't Let Friends Dial Drunk' is a bitter, relatable tale of unrequited love, mixed signals and drunken confusion, while 'So Damn Clever' is catchier than a bout of bird 'flu.
'Every Second Counts' is, on the whole, a mediocre effort from a band who, with all their years of experience, should be capable of more. Ideal for little sisters and those still struggling to deal with the break-up of Blink 182, but for the rest of us? We'd rather not remember the days when Fred Durst and that awful red cap dominated the charts.Rating: 4/10
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