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| Amazing Transparent ManTaking Back the Covers2003 Springman 
 Review by: greg0rb See others by this writer ![[staff]](/images/icons/staffsticker.gif){kind=icon}
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Published on April 29th 2003 The pink-wearing-pop-punkers from DeKalb, Illinois are back with this EP of covers, taking back some famous female ditties for the guys. They rip through six classics with their old-school-blink 182 style- a raw, not-over produced sound that is uncommon in pop punk these days. These guys also switch things up with Tony D and Rick switching between bass and guitar, and sharing vocal duties. They are hilarious guys, but don’t poke fun too much at these songs, they simply play them punked-up. “Bitch,” originally by Meredith Brooks, you’ll remember back from 1997. These boys take it and transfer it to the standard ATM style, with Tony D’s raspy vocals on a song just out of his range at times. It’s a good tune, and I really dig the sped up harmonized “woo-oo-woos” at the end. This is one of the best tracks on the EP. Tracy Chapman’s pop-folk “Fast Car” from her debut album from 1988, is done here starting out with an almost electric-folk feel, with clicks on the snare, which soon is bumped up to punk speed with breakdowns and gritty palm-muting thrown in at the best times. I was skeptical about “Nothing Compares to You,” (written by Prince but made famous my Sinead O’Connor) since the Gimme Gimmes already stole me on their cover of this song, released recently on “Uncontrollable Fatulence.” But ATM does it much different, and fairly out of their style. They keep it slow, done with only an acoustic guitar- played with bar chords and sometimes arpeggiated- and vocals, with a spiffy classical-style guitar solo in the bridge. The cover is ok and I still dig the Gimmes’ version more, but this track stands out on the EP nonetheless for its style change. Shania Twain’s “Man, I Feel like a Woman!” is done with a tinge of metal, and works very well in the boys’ style, especially the “woah’s” in the chorus, taken from their pop-country feel and made pop-punk. Rick’s nasal, sometimes-snotty vocals really make this song, and it’s a good ending track.
The other tracks “Criminal,” Fiona Apple’s 1996 hit and “Holding Out for A Hero” by Bonnie Tyler (on the Footloose soundtrack) are done fairly straight up ATM punk. This EP will definitely please anyone who wants instantly sing-able tunes done over a raw pop punk backdrop; not the best covers I’ve ever heard, but an enjoyable listen anyways. These guys are really nice though, and hilarious- be sure to check them out live.
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I am the only one who doesn't see the novelty in men covering songs sung by women? If I didn't think it was funny with the Starting Line or Yellowcard (which I did not), it's not funny here. They're comparable when speaking in levels of suckitude. Chixdiggit is one million times better than this shit. Don't even begin to compare the two. This band is almost as bad as Chixdiggit. Holy shit, three cheap shots at Chixdiggit in three days, word. I get the "Transparent" part, just not the other. I remember I was looking through the new arivals at my radio station one time and there was an Amazing transparent man CD, and I had heard from somebody that they kicked ass, so I gave it a listen. The radio station doesn't have the CD anymore. It has pieces of the cd, but not all of them. Atm are one of the best punk-pop bands I've heard in a long time, the covers of Fast Car (which I like anyway by TracyChapman) and Bitch are fucking superb, I will definately buy this album. Ah, insincere dave, never have you failed to brighten up my school day. "Bitch" has a killer breakdown, blood on the dance floor. That "bitch" cover is terrible. Absolutely dreadful. - bigjerk i think they did a great job with the covers. they are a hardworking band who are really nice as well. The only good version of "Fast Car" is the Xiu Xiu version. Mistah t cringes at another pop-punk band.... - mr. T This sounds like Blink 182 doing pop covers... you make the call. Yeah, this band is a complete waste of time, how long have they been around? When are the gonna figure out that nobody cares about them? more gold comedy from ramo hehe. Who needs new songs when covers sound so great! this band is awful...and this proves it I have this record and it fucking rules! Maybe its not for everyone, but if we all liked the same bands we would all be listening to Creed right now, and that would suck. Quit bitching if you don't like pop-punk, this record is for people that do. the dude in the fetal position got a point. this music will make you cringe. |
