‘Frontiers’ is the latest studio release from the UK based band My Awesome Compilation, an album produced by Hundred Reasons’ Larry Hibbitt and one that showcases a darker direction for the band. Long gone is the squeaky pop sound of old and what we have here instead is a heavier and much more hard hitting musical approach from the band. A lot has happened for My Awesome Compilation in the past few years; in 2004 the band had a split single with Fall Out Boy, and more recently the bands ‘Put Up A Fight’ track was used in the popular computer game Saints Row and featured in the Australian version of Big Brother also. Add to this the fact that the band has toured with the likes of Fall Out Boy, Funeral For A Friend, and even The Darkness and the success of My Awesome Compilation is clear for all to see.
With this ‘Frontiers’ album the quartet that is My Awesome Compilation has here produced some of the bands finest tracks to date. The music is different in sound, the strong melodies and catchy choruses are still present however and the music just takes a meatier approach. The changes that the band has made I feel have been hugely beneficial to the overall sound of the music of My Awesome Compilation. The music that the band was already creating was strong, here however the band has upped the ante and further enhanced an already finely honed sound. ‘Frontiers’ is ten tracks strong, never is there a dull moment here and always the music is massively impressive. Opening track ‘Red Is For Danger’ begins the album on slightly dodgy ground I feel, the backing vocals don’t quite sound right and yet other than this everything is absolutely excellent. The first track on the album is all good other than the few dodgy moments where the backing vocals protrude through in the sound and slightly ruin what is otherwise an excellent introduction to the ‘Frontiers’ album.
What I have always loved most about the music of My Awesome Compilation is the bands vocal tone. Vocally the band is really fresh and exciting, the vocals are always full of life and when listening to the bands music this is I feel always the central focus. The guitar hooks are succulent also, there’s nothing better than this bands vocal work however and always the approach this band takes brings a smile to my face. The music really comes together exceptionally well at all points on this album, every track here is blessed with a beautiful chorus and the melodies truly are terrific. The guitars possess more power here than has ever before been present in the bands music and this I feel is something that has worked out incredibly well for My Awesome Compilation on this ‘Frontiers’ album. Tracks such as ‘Ghosts on the Underground’, ‘Hostage’, and ‘Accelerate’ have all turned out brilliantly on this album I feel. In truth I do not feel that any of the ten tracks on display have turned out badly here, these few are perhaps a little better than the others but nothing here would I ever classify as poor. ‘Accelerate’ stands out strongly I feel due to the heaviness that the band here puts across, listening to this track sounds like listening to a completely different band and I for one absolutely love it. Unlike with opening track ‘Red Is For Danger’ the backing vocals here work incredibly well and nothing about this one disappoints.
‘Ghosts on the Underground’ was actually chosen to be the lead single from this album and it’s not hard to hear why. This one is incredibly catchy and comes across terrifically. The vocals come belting through here, the guitars are hard hitting whilst remaining light enough to appeal to the pop demographic, and everything about ‘Ghosts on the Underground’ just seems to come together perfectly. Underneath the main sound of the music a keyboard can at times be heard, this provides a soft and gentle undertone for the track which contrasts extremely effectively with the heavier sound of the guitars and other instruments. It’s a powerful number, a strong single and a track that I personally extremely enjoy listening to.
A strong closing track always goes down a treat with me, and ‘Save Yourself’ most certainly ends this ‘Frontiers’ album sensationally well. It’s a three minute track, an extremely soft one when compared to much of the rest of this album and one that brings this release to a perfect close. After a hard edged nine tracks of punk heavy pop punk, ‘Save Yourself’ is a nice light way of ending the album and is extremely effective I feel in bringing this album to its climax. ‘Frontiers’ is a strong album so it’s only right then that it should finish with a track that leaves you wanting for more. A good album always has you craving for it all to continue, this is definitely the case here and when this ‘Frontiers’ album comes to a close you’re left with a sinking feeling and great sorrow that the album is over. The album clocks in at a total of just over thirty minutes in length, and when the music finishes you most certainly feel that listening to this album has been thirty minutes well spent.
My Awesome Compilation has always been an excellent band, this album I feel is an extremely strong release from them and one that most definitely does not disappoint. The harder direction that this band has taken has certainly worked out, the music of My Awesome Compilation sounds all the better and although this album gets off to a rocky start the nine tracks that follow more than make up for this. ‘Red Is For Danger’ is not a bad track to begin this album with, it’s just that the backing vocals do not work out too well here and the music is therefore not as effective as it should be. ‘Frontiers’ is certainly an album that I would recommend to fans of pop punk; the music is strong and never does this band here disappoint. ‘Frontiers’ is an angry album from My Awesome Compilation, lyrically the band is stronger than ever and musically also the sound produced here is far greater than ever before. The bands début album ‘Actions’ was released in 2005, since then the four members of My Awesome Compilation have come a long way and now the music being made is greater than ever. It would seem that the band is gaining in talent and experience all the time, the music is getting progressively stronger and ‘Frontiers’ provides great evidence of the bands furthered talent and expertise in creating incredibly fine music. Give this album a listen, the music is strong and this band I feel is now the best that it has ever been.
Label: Small Town Records
Release Date: 26th May 2008
Rating:
UK based film graduate with a huge passion for music, sports and video games.
