Reggie and the Full Effect - Under The Tray (Cover Artwork)

Reggie and the Full Effect

Under The Tray (2003)

Vagrant

Sean-Michael

This album is coming with much anticipation from a lot of people. It has been almost three years since Reggie has released his last album, Promotional Copy, and it was well worth the wait.

The album starts with "Your Bleedin' Heart", the heavy guitar intro into the song give the appearance of seriousness, but that is shattered when the singing commences. The lyric "..go ask your mother because she knows what you need, let your heart open up, helping it bleed…" make you think about the story behind the song.

Next is a edited little, I don't know what. All I can say is another drunk, talking about, I don't know.

Next on the album is the tentative single, "Congratulations Smack & Kaity", another pop style/sounding song, with a nice blend of instruments, which doesn't disappoint. There is always talk about girls on any of Reggie's albums, and this one is no different… the chorus "girl you look bored…" makes you want to get up and dance. Don't ask me why. This album does weird things to me.

Next is another filler, which fills me with laughter. None of us are getting paid to dance.

Next is one of my favorite songs on the album, "MOOD 4 LOVE (featuring Fluxuation). The lyrics are funny and serious at the same time. The best line in my opinion on this album is: "when I smell your ‘par-fum' it smells like D-O-O in doom" The song is sweet I would imagine its to Reggie (James Dewees) wife.

Next is "What Won't Kill You Gats Gas" I don't quite understand what its about. Yet that doesn't change the fact that this is a good song. I am in with the guitar and keyboard mix, it gives it an original sound, that nobody else is even attempting in emulate.

The drunk girl from above appears again on this track, appropriately entitled "Drunk Girl at The Get Up Kids Show (Tattoo'z, B-Day'z, Azz Beatin'z)" this track isn't edited increasing the hilarity factor immensely.

Track 8 is titled "Getting By With It", it also has a nice clean sound. The lyrics don't change from the rest of the album, they are funny, and clever. "I see your sister staring at me out of the window… and its all just a part of education, and we're tellin' kids across the na-tion" I don't know what its about, but it is catchy and I like it. This song also sounds kind of like a bad pop music song, but at the same time, it counters all of that.

Next is my favorite on the album, a mellow, funny song about lobsters(?). "Image is Nothing, Lobsters are Everything". The sound is different than the other songs on the album, its kind of mellow, dreary, and somber.

Track 10 is "Apocalypse WOW (featuring Hungry Bear)" starts off sounding like a harsh metal tune, but digresses to fit the rest of the album's song style. All the while is guitar sound front and foremost in the song.

"One time I was at a private school, and it costs like fucking $4,000 a year to go there, and a… and we where the shit kids…" The drunk girl from before makes her best appearance on this track.

"F.O.O.D. aka Aren't you Hungary (featuring Hungry Bear)" This track, by far the most odd and hilarious track on the album. That's all I can say.

Track 13 is titled "Happy V-Day" another half serious song. It blends computer altered voices, with hardcore guitars, and a clean piano to top it off. Once again, listening to the song makes you wonder the meaning behind it.

"Canadian's switching the letter P for the letter V Eh?" another sketch, which will annoy all the little MTV "punk rockers", Making fun of their idol and obsession.

Track 15 is The Common Denominator's 2nd song off their debut album here in America, entitled Linkin Verbs. Linkin Verbs are the words that connect the subject to the predicate, they are helping verbs aka linkin verbs.

Yet another Drunk Girl appearance, this one is edited and disappointing.

The high point of the album appears last. Track 17 is called Megan 2K2 (Even though its 2K3 now). The lyrics are sweet and gentile. The piano is simple and clean. Listening to this makes me think about what it is like to be on tour… all the time. The man behind Reggie, James Dewees, is constantly touring. Being they keys for The Get Up Kids, heading up Reggie, and what ever else he does… greatly limits his down time. All of this must have an imapact with his relationship with his wife, and my guess is that this is for her. Saying that he loves and misses her.

Overall this album is excellent. A nice blend of heartfelt melody and comedy that entices you to get up and dance and cry at the same time.