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SR-71

Tomorrow (2002)
Sony Music Entertainment

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Contributed by: Megan
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on October 22nd 2002

SR-71’s second disc “Tomorrow” is irritating. The songs bounce between egotistical and feeling defeated with nothing in the middle. The CD opens with the line “I can be as humble as the next guy.” That’s just a flat out lie. Lead singer Mitch Allan proceeds to inform the listener “I’m what you’ve always wanted,” in the same song, titled “They All Fall Down.” Maybe he is what you’ve always wanted, if what you’ve always wanted was unoriginal radio-friendly alternative rock. SR-71’s album “Now You See Inside” was at least something to get the listener going and singing along. “Tomorrow” just makes you want to tell the band to lighten up and stop taking themselves so seriously.

The title track from the album falls into the “feeling defeated” category of songs. This track is well produced and does showcase Allan’s voice, which is actually quite good. It also displays the talents of new drummer John Allen. This song is nothing out of the ordinary though. At first, the third song “My World” sounds like it would’ve fit on the band’s debut, before it turns bitter. The chorus on this song is strong but the “I know he’s been inside you” line is so angry that it turns listeners off from the song. The next son, “Hello, Hello” leads to the conclusion that every song on this album starts off in the same slow building to fast fashion. This song is cynical, with Allan singing, “Love is only temporary.” The lyrical content is decent, but nothing mind blowing.

“Truth” exposes Allan’s typical vocal procession, slow to angry to melodic, then repeat. This song is just boring. The guitar sound is cutting, but this song is nothing new, just a typical “I want to rock and head bang” anthem. Bitterness returns for the sixth track, “Goodbye.” The chorus is quick and catchy as the song goes on about leaving behind what tries to bring you down.

Attack of the Ego Part Two is track seven, oh wait, it’s actually called “She Was Dead.” This song lets you know from the beginning that Allan is a jerk with a line going “I didn’t hear what she was saying because I was staring at her chest.” This song is essentially about a relationship going wrong but Allan is too much of a wuss to dump the girl, so instead, he tries to make her as miserable as possible.

“The Best is yet to come” is the only song on the album displaying hope for the future. “Broken Handed” put the egotistical and defeated feeling into one song, somehow flipping between the two. “Lucky” starts off quickly, “I’m not afraid of after life hell because I live it everyday.” This song is just a teenage angst song at its worst, an anthem for testosterone driven boys. “In My Mind” is a nice song about keeping the memory of a lost loved one alive, but it’s nothing out of the ordinary. The closing track, “Non-Toxic” was on the debut and it should’ve stayed there, untainted by the garbage of SR-71’s second effort. Please don’t bother buying this CD, if you really want to waste $10-15, just give it to me and I’ll put it in the “Megan needs to pay for her car” fund.

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Anonymous (October 14, 2005)

i love thet sr-71 it's super

Anonymous (October 15, 2004)

if you like blink 182, the starting line, and new found glory, check out this really awesome band Stanley. listen to them at this link: www.purevolume.com/stanley

Anonymous (July 1, 2004)

For me, is one of the best bands I've ever had, I think this cd is MUCH BETTER than Now You See Inside and the one who said nobody really liked it, should talk about himself and let the rest say what they think. The only songs I love the least are Hello Hello and The Best Is Yet To Come. They All Fall Down is one of the best songs ever, not allways you hear so hard rymths. I haven't already heard their new album, but I'm sure I'm gonna like it more than most of today's music.

Anonymous (January 7, 2003)

Tell them what you think! sr71band@hotmail.com

Anonymous (October 25, 2002)

I wished this band remains a missing link. Their old album sucks because they wanted to jump on the Blink bandwagon and now they are playing this shit so they can jump on the nu-metal bandwagon. This truly is album of the year.

Ramo

P.S. I forgot to type worst on the last sentence. Figure it out where it belongs.

Anonymous (October 25, 2002)

here is an old review

Even if the executives at MTV wanted to
tailor-make a band to their target
demographic, it's doubtful they could do better than SR-71, who have the
looks of 'NSync and tunes of the Goo Goo Dolls. Frontman Mitch Allan
certainly is a programmer's dream,
delivering jaunty songs that hint at a
greater picture, with ambiguous lyrics
touching on everything from self-
loathing to indeterminate social
commentary.

The music, meanwhile, may deceive with
its aggressive stabs at pop-punk and
its chugging rhythms, but, at their
core, such ostensibly furrow-browed
anthems as "Right Now" and "The Last
Man on the Moon" are pure bubble gum.

It's doubtful anyone will reach for, or even remember Now You See Inside a year from now, but at the moment, it is the missing link between Matchbox Twenty and Blink-182.

Aidin Vaziri
CDNOW Contributing Writer

Megan (October 24, 2002)

cawknocker, will you marry me?

Anonymous (October 24, 2002)

lol there are only 13 notes.. how many ways can u use them... um u do the math A LOT of different ways and there may be only 13 notes but there are hundreads of different tones .. you know how many different ways u can tune a guitar or drums?

maverick (October 24, 2002)

"this is album of the year guys. believe the hype."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHahahahahaha...

That made me laugh so hard I started to shed tears. Mucho gusto.

-Scott

Anonymous (October 24, 2002)

by the way does sr71 run this website? how did they manage to get both their drink coasters reviewed in a 2 week span.
-cawknocker
ps. not that i'm complaining, they are really good. dont' kick me while i'm Highhhhhhh

Anonymous (October 24, 2002)

this is album of the year guys. believe the hype.
cawknocker

4131 (October 24, 2002)

Waaaiiitt a minute! C'mon now pat41, no one will ever take you seriously. boston music guy what a fucking joke.

Anonymous (October 24, 2002)

"pat41 does not exist. its some moron guy."

that doesn't make my remark any less valid.

WussEmoRock (October 24, 2002)

No, moldy, I do not like this band. Although, their firt disc did have a few catchy songs. I don't know the names but their single on it, and some song about space was cool for awhile, and #1 or 2. the rest of it was horrible. that's about it. haven't heard this one though

*****Wuss-Emo-Rock*****

waste_elite (October 23, 2002)

hmm, so you give out your IM name and encourage people to contact you even though you won't pay attention or even care about what the people that IM you have to say. makes sense...

you want to know why i don't like this band? because i only listen to REAL metal and rock, i'm too cool for this shit.

now excuse me while i wash the sarcasm out of my mouth.

Anonymous (October 23, 2002)

I like SR-71 a lot...I saw them last year with another one of my favorite bands, Ultimate Fakebook, and SR-71 put on a very good show. I'm a big fan of theirs, and I won't let my opinion be swayed by some morons who think they're cool because they like "real" metal or rock or whatever. SR-71 does what they fucking want, on this album they wanted a different sound. I'll admit that some of the songs sound the same, but there's only thirteen notes--they can only be used so many ways. My AIM screen name is blinkeve1826, feel free to contradict me, but I probably won't pay attention. Or care, for that matter.

--Melanie

BostonMusicGuy (October 23, 2002)

pat41 is a big penis with wingspat41 does not exist. its some moron guy.-BostonMusicGuy

Anonymous (October 23, 2002)

pat41 is a big penis with wings.

Anonymous (October 23, 2002)

It’s been 2 years since Right Now pounded itself into America’s collective consciousness, and in that time SR-71 has had time to grow and expand on the sound they built on 2000’s Now You See Inside. Unfortunately, with their new album Tomorrow, the band has only taken to treading water with an “if-it-ain’t-broke-don’t-fix-it-and-scream-because-it’s-hip” approach.
Several songs here sound sonically identical: from the opening rocker “They All Fall Down” to “My World,” to “Goodbye,” lead singer Mitch Allan traipses the current soft-loud-soft dynamic that seems to be the rage with nü-metal bands. Angry yelling is also something that Allan picked up in the interim between albums. While it sounds fine on songs like “Broken Handed,” it’s almost distracting on other tracks. During the title cut you might actually stop the song and wonder why he’s shouting. In the most non-creative moment on the album, the band apes their own sound on “Lucky,” which might as well be called “Right Now Part 2.”
Lyrically there is nothing as clever as their Butch Walker co-penned success. Almost everything is a less-than-inspired rehash of classic girl problem laments, which Allan exploits to limited success. The major exception is “Truth,” another in a line of September 11th-inspired musings.
The album is not without some highlights, though. “In My Mind” is a step back to the days of the rock ballad with pianos and guitar solos weaving through a tale of a man whose mind is the only place where love still exists. “Goodbye” riffs hard and steady and could possibly be another lukewarm success for the band.
Overall the album is a decent throwaway of rock. Slickly produced, not terrible, but not amazing. You probably won’t take anything deep and provocative away from this, but you won’t run screaming from it either. It’s middle of the road rock for people who aren’t aggressive enough for Linkin Park, but too mature for Blink-182. -Matthew Little

moldy (October 23, 2002)

i bet wussemorock loves this band

waste_elite (October 23, 2002)

this band is awful, they play whatever the hell seems to sell at the moment. i think they are from around here unfortunately. my guitar teacher is friends with one of the guys in the band (and he can't even stand their music). shitty.

Anonymous (October 22, 2002)

I'm just glad to see that the reviewer was a girl. I thought all girls were suckers for this kind of shit.

Anonymous (October 22, 2002)

I acatually slit someones throat that liked them

Anonymous (October 22, 2002)

i've actaully met someone who liked them

BeaArthur (October 22, 2002)

Did anyone need to read this review to know it would be terrible?

Anonymous (October 22, 2002)

bostonmusicguy-you're right. except if you live in the dc area where these guys are from-there are people who like them. not everyone i would know or want to know-but they do have fans here as the local "alternative" rock station whfs promotes them. i'd give these guys a negative score if possible. i sometimes ask god why he has to punish us so with sr-71. then god tells me that its because of george dubya bush and all his fuckups.

BostonMusicGuy (October 22, 2002)

I really dont like these guys... I dont think anyone does really. I have never met anyone that is actually a fan of this band. Well, Right Now was catchy at first but got irritating after a while.-BostonMusicGuy

Anonymous (October 22, 2002)

Scott dont be lame!..duder wth gad

kirbypuckett (October 22, 2002)

I've been using it for quite some time now and I must say that the word "Duder" is downright incredible. Scott's use below is the first time I've saw it on here...Just thought I'd share.

- Scott
http://www.local-felons.com/~uw/
(To the sniper: Campers suck)

maverick (October 22, 2002)

There aren't two reviews of this. Someone reviewed the band's first album a few weeks ago, and now this is a review of their new album.

Chill, duder.

-Scott

JonBonBandersnatch (October 22, 2002)

im not one to criticize content, but do we really need two reviews of this?

Anonymous (October 22, 2002)

i disagree. this is good, fun sing-a-long pop punk. these boys can really shred on the guitar, and the drumming is awesome. And they look just amazing, especially dressed in a little leather and oiled up. simply tasty!

-pat41