The Side
“¿whachudoin’wit’at’nake?”
By: Samantha Webster
If Kurt Cobain’s ghost got his transparent fingers on a copy of a Fall Out Boy CD, this is what would come of it. The Side offers up a fresh beat to the “we practice beside mom’s minivan” rock revival. I must admit that on first listen, I teetered on the decision of whether to send the singer the name of a good speech therapist or to simply take out the disc. Luckily for the guys, my little friend that rents out my shoulder (the one in white) reminded me that these are just young guys from the area that are trying to get their music heard. Excellent production quality equals big bucks, and I totally can understand having the lack of big bucks, so maybe I should stop expecting the Pro Tools and crystal clear sound and start being as open minded as I claim to be. Mumbling aside, the energy of the songs and the tight beat that tends to overpower the jumbled vocals makes this CD worthy of a listen. Hey, didn’t Kurt’s marble mouth make him an incredible star?
Though I’m on the fence on whether or not the warbling makes or breaks this CD, I do have to say that I really got into it. Just me sitting alone in a room, The Side mumbling sweet nothings through my computer speakers, and I was pretty content. Of course, it is true that personality isn’t the only thing a person looks for in a relationship. Looks are a definite must, and I’d say that The Side passes with flying colors. Almost literally. The artwork for the CD looks like something a child whom suffers from severe nightmares or had just witnessed a heinous crime would draw. I know you’ve seen Law & Order so don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about. I had to run my fingers over the disc several times, marveling at the construction paper monster that seemed to be leaping off to pinch me or something equally devious. Even the intentional misspellings are endearing, and for someone who takes English as seriously as I do, that means that you have truly won my heart. I think this is the start of a beautiful relationship, but I think I may need to dig up some Q-Tips and quality alone time to devote to deciphering what exactly my new boyfriends are saying to me.
Communication is the key to a long life together. Keep that in mind for the next try, guys.
