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Split Habit

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is (2004)
Double Zero Records

Reviewer Rating:

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

Published on March 23rd 2004

WOOOAAH!

This sounds like Simple Plan and the All-American Rejects had a campfire jamboree.
The vocalist’s voices are too whiney.
The lyrics are clichéd and adolescent.
They didn’t give me the iPod Mini.

…but I like them!

If you described this band to me I would easily write it off as something I didn’t like. Nonetheless, I can’t help but sing along with all the “oh’s” and “whoa’s” contained in this fifty minutes of power-pop bliss. Secretly, I am dancing along to this band’s second full length album as I type of this review. Sean O’ Keefe has done for Split Habit what he’s done with Motion City Soundtrack and Spitalfield – which is taking a sound that’s been beaten like a dead horse and jumpstarting it into something pleasurable and enticing!

I’m not trying to be a lazy journalist, but their press kit perfectly sums up the album, “[it] drips profusely with crunchy power chords, irresistible hooks, sing-along choruses and candy coated harmonies.” There are ten songs following that formula, which includes a delightful rendition of Hall and Oates' “Maneater.”

“Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is” isn’t perfect, but this Chicago trio isn’t shooting for that. They’re playing rock ‘n roll and having fun and I’m joining in on the amusement by listening.

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Anonymous (March 29, 2005)

They do a great live show! The first time I heard their CD i heard a song and though it was Weezer. Like... Blue Album Weezer. The good stuff! Great CD.

Anonymous (October 9, 2004)

As good as this album is, the band is MUCH better live.

Anonymous (October 4, 2004)

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet

Anonymous (October 4, 2004)

Great CD cant wait to see them live

Anonymous (October 4, 2004)

Greatest CD since GNR

Anonymous (August 16, 2004)

Ok whiny vocals. I have seen them live and the vocals are not whiny. What the shit. Great CD. Sounds amazing too.

Anonymous (August 16, 2004)

It can't get better then this. Chicago has something to look forward to now.

Anonymous (August 16, 2004)

Wow this is the best album since? Wait it is the best album I own fuck. Auesome job guys!

Anonymous (August 8, 2004)

split habit-on e of my fave bnands thanks to this album :-) makes my ears hungry for more music :-)

Anonymous (April 13, 2004)

This band will be huge!!!
The CD is fucking auesome!

Anonymous (March 25, 2004)

i think it's great.

Anonymous (March 24, 2004)

Didn't Ed Rose produce the motion city soundtrack cd?

Anonymous (March 24, 2004)

This sucks and it shows where Kirby is coming from.

Fuck these scenesters.

-BSD

Anonymous (March 24, 2004)

fuckin lame shit

Anonymous (March 24, 2004)

It's awesome!!!

Modern (March 24, 2004)

Nice Kirby!

Anonymous (March 23, 2004)

I think this is the first Split Habit album that does justice to the band. O'Keefe finally captured what has been present on stage for years.

pastepunk (March 23, 2004)

these guys I think sound a ton like The Gamits. That is a very good thing. Much praise has to go the production quality, with really captures the band's harmonies perfectly.

Anonymous (March 23, 2004)

There was a time when Split Habit was the worst band in Chicago. Sometime whithin the last year and a half they have blossomed into one of the best bands around. They are actually doing something different instead of trying to follow in the footsteps of Falloutboy or hopping on the screamo train like everyone else.

I don't agree that with what kirby said though, their sound is really nothing like AAR or Simple Plan and describing them as such really takes away from the awesomeness of this CD. This is pure power-pop, but really with an 80's twist and unlike the other bands trying to cop that sound, Split Habit does it perfectly.

If you want a fun CD to sing along to in the car, this is it my friend because nothing else recently has come close.