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The Prize Fight

Words Don't Mean Anything (2003)
ECA Records

Reviewer Rating:

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

Published on August 27th 2004

The Prize Fight are a pop-punk band with a brass section. Not a bad description, something like Reel Big Fish or Less Than Jake right? Hey, there’s even a thrifty acronym to match the aforementioned -- TPF!

I wish…

When I heard the horn line that guided the opener, “The Trainwreck,” along the rails, eagerness instantly struck me. Unfortunately, this song takes the course suggested by the title and is no jumpstart for a 4th wave of ska. TPF borrow the backbone of their sound right out of New Found Glory’s playbook and have two horn players ready to audible into formation. Comparisons can be drawn to Yellowcard, who pulled a similar stunt by incorporating a peculiar violinist into their melodies. The violin element helped spring them into commercial success and I’m sure the unique aspect added to the Prize Fight’s sound will harvest attention from Jason Tate and his minions.

Aside from that pinch of originality the Words Don’t Mean Anything EP provides another five songs into the continuous pit of unnecessary pop-punk music. The Prize Fight are nothing more than a Punchline or a Startling Line, with horns. Oh, look at that, they even got Kenny Vasoli (the Startling Line) to lend backup vocals on “More Or Less.”

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Anonymous (October 25, 2005)

You need to relax with your grilling of 'The Prize Fight'. They have a pretty good sound and I enjoy their songs. Their lyrics might not hold as much weight as say Saves The Day, Death Cab for Cutie, or Jimmy Eat World; but they do have some substance and are not deserving of your bitter tangent on the trend of 'pop punk' music.

TrainWreck (October 12, 2004)

The prizefight does kick ass... You kids need to chill out with all your "pop punk is made up of posers" nonsense. I don't understand how you could find fault in this cd... Flat punk sucks ass, it needs the pop infulence to be anything more than a bunch of abused children with mohawks.

I wrote a positive review about this cd long ago, apparently the great people at punknews.org didn't like it... I think it may have been because I strung good and pop-punk together in one sentence...

It seems the entire genre of pop punk is hated... We who listen to them are outcasts... Maybe we are more punk than you faggots wearing dead kenedy shirts... They are never called "fags" or "pussys" for wearing there rancid and dead kenedy shirts... Yet when I throw on my Starting Line shirt, I get all sorts of comments from the "cool" kids.

To me it seems I am being more "punk" while trying not to... The genre I belong to are "posers" yet we are the ones being laughed at because of what we like.

What I'm trying to say is punk is now a trend in itself. Get over your whole rebel bullshit and listen to what you like. I mean god forbide you might listen to a band who plays clean music as to the regular distortion filled bullshit.

Anonymous (October 6, 2004)

the prize fight is the sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet. they keep the stars shinning at night. without the prize fight, there'd be no sun. and that would suck cause you would all die!

Anonymous (September 14, 2004)

im sorry...i think this album kicks some major ass. I don't understand where you guys are coming from...yes i can kinda see how it fits into the same old pop-punk category, but who cares, music is music...and the prize fight puts out some kick ass music. I used to work with the bass player, im glad he hooked me up with the demo, and the Ep... real cool guy...real good band

Anonymous (August 31, 2004)

This was a good reveiw for a shit album

Anonymous (August 30, 2004)

this review deserves a lower rating.

Anonymous (August 30, 2004)

If you can't figure out what this band sounds like from the descriptions up there then you're in trouble.

It's pop-punk trash with horns.

There are no high or low points, it's terrible.

- Kirby

Spaztic (August 29, 2004)

Feel free to, you know, fix those links..

This review basically sucked. I only got a glimpse into what the band is supposedly supposed to sound like, and you only mentioned one track off of the entire disc. What are some strong and weak points? Blah blah.

Icapped2pac (August 29, 2004)

Who the hell asked you to read it?

Anonymous (August 29, 2004)

who the heck allowed this review to be posted.

punkcorekid (August 28, 2004)

i thought about "one hell of a prize fighter" by eighteen visions when i saw this...and i get some pop punk crap. o well.

Anonymous (August 28, 2004)

good band but its too bad that they dropped their horns

Anonymous (August 28, 2004)

it's spelled orgasm.

Anonymous (August 28, 2004)

i remember these guys would play all the local shows in my hometown (the same area as the Starting Line actually, which may explain the similarities) and they were a pretty good live act. Lots of energy. They were never that memorable though.

-benz