The All-American Rejects aren't the absolute sexiest band in the world, but they are damn close.
"Be still my heart" would be a good mantra to repeat while listening to the group's new self-titled album to avoid jumping up and down and screaming like a crazed-teenie bopper.
Why are The All-American Rejects the sexiest new punk/pop band around? Well for one these guys are total softies. These down home Oklahoma boys aren't afraid to let their feminine side show and for once, it isn't in that clichÇd pop music kind of way.
Their lyrics pull at the heartstrings and have an unusual quality for this kind of music, which actually may backfire when it comes to true punk rock fans. The second reason is that lead singer Tyson Ritter's voice is a roller coaster ride to ultimate satisfaction.
This guy has John Mayer's boy-next-door sweetness, The Goo Goo Doll's sensuality and Weezer's slamming punk sound.
OK, so being sexy isn't the only part of the batter needed to bake up a batch of staying power. It's a nice thought, but since that won't work, it's fortunate that The All-American Rejects have a backup - they've mainstreamed.
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So some will say they are sellouts, others say that are not tortured enough to be real punk rock music, but at this point, that doesn't matter. The band, in 12 weeks, has reached No. 25 on the Billboard Top-100 List and sits at No. 44 today.
Everyone has heard "Swing, Swing" on the radio, so think of that song, only 10 times better, and you'll have the album in its entirety. It's the perfect album to throw in at a party when things start to get dull. There is no staying in your seat with this edgy electronic sounding music.
In fact, just to save time, put this record on repeat. Trust me you won't want it to ever end. I can't take this album out of my CD player and I have no shame in listening to it and no will power to stop.
Multi-talented Nick Wheeler on guitar, keyboard and programming, Mike Kennedy on guitar and Chris Gaylor on drums compliment Ritter's voice in a most perfect way. The music allows Ritter's voice to stick out like a sore thumb, but at the same time, blends it with the music to make beautiful sounds.
The colossal effect has to be heard to be understood.
This all leads up to the million-dollar question - why do these guys think that they are rejects like the band name implies? What they do isn't rocket science, but DreamWorks must have thought it was pretty cool since The Rejects initially released this album with Doghouse Records in 2002 and then DreamWorks came and snagged it in 2003.
So bottom line, sentimentalists beware, you'll fall in love, and true punk rockers stay away, this may induce puking.
