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I'm glad we're seeing further releases from Joe Gittleman's Avoid One Thing, as the band continues to exhibit the very down to earth rock n roll aesthetic from their debut on Chopstick Bridge. The band's formula hasn't changed much, as the focus is still on driving melodic punk rock, closer in influence to the New York / New Jersey variety than that from California. Of course that's a well tread path, but Avoid One Thing manages to do so in a very honest and likeable way.

The band has entered a phase that all side-projects go through when they come to the realization that they've become a full time band in their own right. It's a solidification process where the members outside of the band founder take a more active role in the creative process. That's clear to see here as guitarist Amy Griffin takes on a much larger share of the songwriting and vocals. While I don't think Avoid One Thing's fully taken advantage of the possibilities that come from having male and female lead vocals, there are some really promising steps in that direction here, "All That You've Heard" or "Capital Letters" in particular. With the tragic death of drummer Dave Karcich and the departure of Darkbuster guitarist Paul Delano, Gittleman and Griffin have really had to rebuild this band from the ground up.

There are some huge advances in song writing here from their debut. I love the sombre Replacements feel of "All That You've Heard." There's more than a few moments on the record that will evoke Pixies comparisons, "Next Stop Is The Last Stop" especially. Gittleman's vocals have a certain world-weary melancholy to them and he plays this card wisely on a number of songs. The majority of the album's material though is straight up melodic punk; while not always as distinctive as I'd hoped for it's executed well. The tracks are not as immediately hooky as those on the band's debut but they're better written in general.

Chopstick Bridge is Avoid One Thing's transitional record. It's their movement from a side-project, from the Bosstones' bassist's solo endeavour, to a new phase as a tight, focused power-trio. This is a good sophomore effort, but one that feels like a step towards something even better.


MEDIA
Chopstick Bridge E-Card
Avoid One Thing - Armbands and Braids (MP3)
Avoid One Thing - Chopstick Bridge (video)
For a limited time the entire record is streaming at SideOneDummy



People who liked this also liked:
Fifth Hour Hero - Not Revenge...Just a Vicious CrushThe Loved Ones - Keep Your HeartBouncing Souls - How I Spent My Summer VacationDead to Me - Cuban BallerinaThe Bronx - The Bronx (2003)Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting VegetablesSublime - SublimeWeezer - PinkertonPixies - DoolittleMy Bloody Valentine - Loveless



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    Posted by someone-yeah on 2007-09-12 01:31:36
    My Score:

    the first 8 songs are great

    the last 6? eeeehhhh

    Posted by capitalist_pig on 2006-07-13 01:44:08

    Damn, dude got this for half a penny? Did they round up or down?

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, July 20, 2004 at 12:39 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    This CD Rocks.. anyone who likes good music should buy it.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, July 14, 2004 at 11:09 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    i got this for .50 cents yesterday. solid CD.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 10, 2004 at 6:50 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    First off, BSD = fag.

    Nice album cover you pussies, looks like a Thrice rip-off.

    Posted by shindo on 2004-05-10 08:38:41
    My Score:

    Oops. I really fucked sentence up in editing. Thanks.

    -adam

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 7, 2004 at 11:34 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    "as the band continues the very exhibit the very down to earth rock n roll ascetic"

    First off, go back to grammar school.

    Second off, do you mean aesthetic?

    Third off, this album is pretty damn mediocre and will be forgotten a year from now. Not bad, just blah, which is almost worse.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, May 6, 2004 at 11:30 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    frickin solid disc. anyone who says otherwise doesn't know shit about shit.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, May 6, 2004 at 4:34 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    If you got the beer, we got the time. If you got coke, let us do a line. It's ex-gang green you faggots. Who cares what they sound like. This band rules.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 5, 2004 at 8:35 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I agree with the guy below. That chick can't sing for nothing, her voice is annoying as hell.

    Posted by MarkieStabone on 2004-05-05 16:21:04
    My Score:

    wasn't a big fan of the last album, sounds like this is an improvement...

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 5, 2004 at 2:02 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Avoid one thing alright, this bullshit!.......AYYYYY!

    Posted by ThisBandSucks on 2004-05-05 11:17:47
    My Score:

    Jesus am I the only one dissapointed with this? The first album showed promise, this album was absolute shite. Ok, you're right, not shite, just the pinnacle of mediocrity.

    Also Amy shouldn't be allowed to sing. She does not have a good voice.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 5, 2004 at 10:44 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Damn fine release, the kind that would rock a fetus out of the womb.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 5, 2004 at 2:49 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    the guy below me used a penis enlarger. it didn't work. he hangs out at starbucks. he wears jnco jeans.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 5, 2004 at 2:01 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Connor from bright eyes was flying all over the place on a magical carpet so i shot him in the face with my penis

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 4, 2004 at 11:23 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    i bet you didn't know that the japanese words for chopsticks and bridge are the same: hashi... something to think about

    Posted by Fuzzy on 2004-05-04 18:14:45
    My Score:

    "..song 'pop punk band' or whatever on the last warped comp made me sick."
    That was a throwaway fun song. Listen to it, it was obviously not made as an epic.
    This album is amazing. The songs sound amazing live, as do the old tracks.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 4, 2004 at 4:51 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Ive seen these guys 2 or 3 times. Good stuff. i streamed the albumn, again, good stuff.

    All in all, ive said it once, ill say it again, you should be really happy this band is opening for your favorite band.

    Lastly, i like these guys better than the bosstones.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 4, 2004 at 4:18 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Woah, I just bought this on my home from work, and it's awesome! A lot better than the first, which was quite good also.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 4, 2004 at 3:54 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Scott/Aubin/Adam...

    Is my Screamers review ever going up? I mean it's a much more relevant release than most anything I've ever reviewed...

    -BSD

    Posted by Ted_The_Bellhop on 2004-05-04 15:33:06
    My Score:

    I don't really like this band very much. I say stop worrying about Avoid One Thing and work on getting the Bosstones out of hiatus

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 4, 2004 at 2:26 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    That song 'pop punk band' or whatever on the last warped comp made me sick. First, these guys just sound like old ass fucks doing shitty pop punk weezer covers or something. second, the song featured matt skiba, who is in a pop punk band. third the song dissed hot topic, which is fine, but I hope Skiba realized he was calling hte kettle black there. and 4th toby morse might've been on that song, who was in a band that turned into a pop punk band that was really really fucking awful. thats h20 by the way. fuck these guys and fuck you too.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 4, 2004 at 12:59 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    good band

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 4, 2004 at 12:20 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I gotta get this, their first record was pretty good.
    I also didn't know this was coming out so quickly, the last I heard they weren't going to release anything for a while. I should probably pay attention more.

    Oh, and their new drummer ain't too great.

    Posted by KirbyPuckett on 2004-05-04 11:48:27
    My Score:

    Excellent review Adam.

    I may pick this up, but I know I'm going to blow a ton of money at the ballpark tomorrow. Roger Clemens is in town!

    - Kirby

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 4, 2004 at 11:45 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Eh. Derivative.

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