Matchbook Romance

Matchbook Romance: West For WishingWest For Wishing (2003)
Epitaph Records

Reviewer Rating: 2

User Rating:

Contributed by: maverickScott
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on April 8th 2003Yes, this band got signed to Epitaph because of our website. No, that does not mean we endorse them in any way. First off, they didn't even bother to thank us in the liner notes [they better not blow that on their full length]. But besides that glaring omission, we had no input about this ban.

Yes, this band got signed to Epitaph because of our website.

No, that does not mean we endorse them in any way.

First off, they didn't even bother to thank us in the liner notes [they better not blow that on their full length]. But besides that glaring omission, we had no input about this band being signed to the big E. Basically what happened was it was a slow news day and someone had submitted news about some Poughkeepsie, NY band called the Getaway who had new MP3s up. I posted the story, Brett Gurewitz downloaded them, the rest is history. I had never even heard the band [who have since changed their name to what you see here right now] until I got this EP in the mail a few weeks ago.

So please, if you hate this, don't blame us.

That's not to say it's terrible or anything. Matchbook Romance has talent. Matchbook Romance has potential. What Matchbook Romance doesn't have, though, is an ounce of originality in their collective bodies.

The incredibly short EP starts off with the incredibly short [one minute long, to be exact] "14 Balloons." It's my favorite track off this 5 song EP, because it's the only track off the disc that doesn't directly ape one of the band's influences [consisting mainly of a mixture of Finch and New Found Glory]. "14 Balloons," while derivative, is just a dynamite opening song, because you have no idea what to expect once it ends. But then "The Greatest Fall (Of All Time)" starts up, and you check the spine on the CD case to make sure it doesn't say "What It Is To Burn."

From there, it only slides downhill more, with each track getting progessively more generic and cookie cutter. The lyrics in "Farewell to Friends" are painfully amateur and sophomoric, and the double-bass drum chorus and terribly whiny vocal harmonies that plague "Save Yourself" make me ask myself why I haven't given this CD to my little sister yet.

I don't mean to rip on this band - I do believe they have a boatload of talent, but it just has to be sculpted more. Maybe Mr. Brett is just the man for the job. The EP's overall sound is one of almost reaching complete bombast, thanks to Gurewitz twisting the knobs. He knows how to make even the most mediocre band sound professional as all hell. But a nice guitar sound and well-timed screams does not a successful album make, and with that I must close the [match]book on this one. Keep an eye on the band for their eventual metamorphosis, but pass on this EP.

MP3
The Greatest Fall (Of All Time)

Stream the EP here

Login to rate this album

People who liked this also liked:

Please login or register to post comments.What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?

Share your opinion by posting comments on the stories that interest you
Rate music and bands and help shape the weekly top ten
Let Punknews.org use your ratings to help you find bands and albums you might like
Customize features on the site to get the news the way you want.

Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

emoislife24 (January 27, 2006)

nice band they have some growing up to do

tsugurl (November 11, 2005)

the cd sux
but they r hott
later
4rm a sk8er

Anonymous (January 3, 2005)

let's just kill these bitches while we can

Anonymous (July 16, 2004)

Not as good as their full-length, but still great.

Kinda stupid they would say they sound like Finch. Matchbook Romance is way better. And so what if they sound sophomoric on "Farewell to Friends"? Some people like that.

thirtyseconds (July 13, 2004)

Meeg

Anonymous (August 12, 2003)

i was on the volcom bus on warped tour watching these kids learn how to take bong hits...classic

Anonymous (July 28, 2003)

public enemy, n.w.a., kool keith (aka dr doom-dr octagon/ultramagnetic mcs-masters of illusion), grandmaster flash and the furious five...
and the sugarhill gang, but they're bitches

funkisdead (July 28, 2003)

ini kamoze, def leppard, kingston trio, styx.

Anonymous (July 28, 2003)

aus rotten, 88 fingers louie, exploited, thursday

Anonymous (July 28, 2003)

green day, offspring, blink 182, and sum 41

inagreendase (July 28, 2003)

"Can any of you name the four bands that pioneered punk. Dont look it up. be honest with yourself. And Ill give you people one, Ramones. Now, three left....have fun"

that's so stupid, it's all a matter of opinion. it may be similar with most people including ramones and/or sex pistols, but people's "four bands that pioneered punk" are all going to be different. How can you "look up" an opinion?

funkisdead (July 28, 2003)

this music is all fashion, and no style.

Anonymous (June 16, 2003)

One more thing, this is about punknews reviewers. These guys have been listening to punk and all different types of punk music far longer then MOST of you people have had pubic hair, so give them a break. MBR was given a VERY fair review and I believe him. And Im in agreement with them too that the band should have thanked punknews. They ARE the reason that the band got signed. If it wasnt for them, youd still be bashing other lesser known bands on this site and they would still be playing at the chance, opening up for bands that arent even known by these guys. I just have one question for most of you "fellow" punkers. Can any of you name the four bands that pioneered punk. Dont look it up. be honest with yourself. And Ill give you people one, Ramones. Now, three left....have fun

Anonymous (June 16, 2003)

First off, Im going to not register with punknews so my name wot be on this comment board. Second, I GREW up with these guys ok! I know all of them, IVE been around since they were called NO TATUM, look it up, youll find them somewhere. Now, as an old friend im glad they were signed and wish them luck. As a fan of music......fuck this emo-pissing-and-whining-"pop-punk"-bullshit-about-a-girl-crap. thats all the fucking songs are about and im not specifying on MBR. NFG, Ataris, blink182 (now) and so on. yeah, the 12 note story, i got that. Yeah thats what pop punk is about. But know what, its crap, ive heard the album, its no-where near the caliber that the band used to record. Listen to My Pepe or Jons Song. Those were punk songs, not pop-punk. So the nect time that you people feel like bashing a reviewer from punknews, take the hand thats typing, find your pulse, far from teh pulse, jam it straight up your ass so you can pick your fuckin noses because thats where your heads are.

Anonymous (May 8, 2003)

I heard of The Getaway through a million other places besides PunkNews.org, and it's a bit asshole-ish to demand a thank-you in a CD because you think you're the sole reason for their fame and fortune. The CD is above average for the type of music it is - nothing spectacular but far from bland. The review, however, was completely biased and not fair at all to the band. I remember when there were rumors about Drive Thru Records talking to The Getaway.

Anonymous (May 7, 2003)

Ok this is pathetically written. First of all one of the best Punk producers and musicians worked on this EP. Just because you are bitter that you did not get thanked does not mean it is bad. It means you need a box of tissues for your issues. Dont listen to this BS. This CD is well done and polished for an EP. Theres a reason these guys are on Epitaph and its not so ignorant people can whine about them being on a major label. Write maturely or dont write at all.

hein (April 18, 2003)

Dammit, I'm feeling like losing touch with you kids these last couple of years. I didn't think this EP sounded bad at all. (read my review at www.punkupdates.com for my opinion). What's the problem with bands playing music that sounds a lot like other bands anyway? Should every new album be a new type of music exposed? That's simply impossible. I said this before and I'll say it again: people listen to music they like and I can imagine that it influences the way they are writing their own music. This results in music that sounds similar to those bands they had been listening to. Isn't that just normal? Oh... and I never played in any punkband, that's correct, I even admit I don't have a clue whether a musician is technically good or not, but there's no reason why this should mean I can't write reviews. Bands don't write music for their fellow-musicians, I thought it was for their fans, and I don't think they all play in bands.

Anonymous (April 14, 2003)

To this band, I say BOOO! BOOO! I say!

Throw this in the already high pile of crap-punk.

Anonymous (April 14, 2003)

I grew up with these guys, And I just think its funny how not too long ago they were a band that was Bashing emo bands. And now they've become a whiny emo band. I remember the first time I went and saw them after they got signed and I was shocked at how much different they sounded from when they used to. They're just jumping on the ol' BandwagonI guess. I also think its funny about how everything I read about them now they credit how they made a name for them selves putting themselves on the internet and whatnot. And the person who was most responsible for their promotion was kicked out of the band...go figure.

Anonymous (April 12, 2003)

Everything that was done to create this album was a waste of time and money. The recording is horrible, therefore all of the time it took for them to drive to the studio and actually record everything, and changing the strings, and re-doing parts and dubbing over more guitar parts, and doing drum tracks a few times, and the engineer's time was a complete waste. All of the money spent on the equipment and labor and session time was a waste. Whoever put the packaging together wasted his time. This band sucks the big one. The paper that it was printed on, it wasted it's time as a tree growing. The ink was wasted. The CD masters should've never been made.

Brett made a very poor decision. He could've easily found a more mature, talanted band to sign on the internet than this. Not to mention that this must be on of the worst bands ever on the internet.

Anonymous (April 12, 2003)

This strikes me as generic NFGish pop with a few screams added. meh

Anonymous (April 11, 2003)

In response to the fellow who claims that one cannot use the word generic because there are only twelve notes to work with, you my friend end up sounding like the biggest asshole in the argument. In that case, punk, jazz, reggae, blues etc. all sound similar because of the twelve tone western system they are using. Its how you put all the various musical elements together (including melody, harmony, instrumentation, rhythm, timbre, vocals) that form the overall sound. And yes, this band does sound generic because they basically take the way other bands (Finch, NFG, TBS etc.)have put together music and imitate it.

Anonymous (April 11, 2003)

this music's ok, nothin i've never heard before

Anonymous (April 11, 2003)

Well, I think there are two reasons for that: 1) actual and close friends of the band usually like to comment, and 2)It's part of the nature of the "indie" scene. Part of the fun of going to smaller shows is the feeling of intimacy there, and some people feel a more personal connection through the music. It's also a lot easier to talk to smaller bands for an extended period of time, and for the most part the bands are cool about it and take the time to talk. I guess that's why a lot of kids say that bands consist of "the nicest guys ever." Anyway, that's my two cents.

FortyMinutesWest (April 10, 2003)

Anyone notice how every band is "the nicest guys"? Not that I doubt these guys are good people, I just think it's funny.