Parkview

In a world of broadband and mp3's, small bands have become much more accessable to the public than in the past. Parkview has not toured America and they haven't played with any "big" bands, but they are enjoying the success of the techno-age. Not to say that any gawkish, commonplace band can become successful via mp3.com; it takes true talent to accomplish such a feat.

Such are Parkview, a college-age four piece emanating from Richboro, Pennsylvania, a Philadelphia suburb. Although a young band (approaching 2 years) they are currently enjoying great success after breaking into the top 10 best sellers at interpunk.com. Their cd is outstanding, especially for a debut. They avoid the type of lyrics that border on pretention and tend to bring up thesaurus sales, and focus more on verse that is like someone telling you about their adventures and personal history. That being said, the lyrics are not dumb either. The vocals, which sound like Armor For Sleep meets The Get Up Kids, are sung with the firey vocals of Shawn Harrington, with frequent backup by guitarist, Jay Buzolits, and drummer, Mark Saddlemire.

One of the most distinguished aspects of this band is their musicmanship. These guys aren't hacks, they know how to play their instruments, and play them well. The overall sound, somewhere in between Braid and early Get Up Kids, leaves a lasting impression. In my personal opinion I think that "Of Like Mind" is the best song, but the other tracks are just as stellar. The final track "This Uncertain Evergreen" is an incredible song.

The only reasons this cd does not recieve top honors is a.) the production does not let the songs shine as much as they could b.) some tracks on the cd are merely good as opposed to great. Overall, however, I strongly insist that you buy this cd. These guys definetly have potential to become a force to be reckoned with in the world of rock.