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On the Rocket Summer’s sophomore release, 22-year-old Bryce Avery returns with a piano-heavy power-pop album that exhibits his past appeal (catchy songwriting and youthful energy) and also his past faults (whiny vocals and cringe-worthy lyrics).

Avery, who handles all the vocal and instrumental duties on this album, shows that he is a competent songwriter who can not only craft a hook, but also belt out a melody that is well worth humming as you go about your day. Songs like the weepy-to-rocking opener “Move To The Other Side Of The Block,” the acoustic-driven “I’m Doing Everything (For You),” and the pop-rock of “Show Me Everything You’ve Got” recall Copeland, while the up-tempo piano rockers “I Was So Alone,” “Around The Clock,” and “Story” play like outtakes from a Something Corporate album. Avery even finds time for some ballads like the soft piano number “Treasures,” the simple acoustic “Goodbye Waves And Driveways,” and the closer “Christmas Present.”

Despite Avery’s knack for poppy songwriting, his vocals spend too much time dwelling in the realm of nasally cries. Throughout the album Avery raises his voice to a half shout, a tone that sounds much more convincing, but never stays with this for too long before returning to his emo whine.

His lyrics are also still pretty awful. I don’t know if he is just too concerned with finding rhymes or if he is really just that bad at writing lyrics, but the results often drag down his songs. Avery mixes juvenile lines like “I’m wanting this to be a supernatural flood of life,” and “I wanna be just like that mountain / I want to stand taller and bigger than the rest,” with predictable and overused rhymes like, “No, well this won’t be a sad song / There’s gonna be claps and singing along,” “'Cus this ain’t where it’s at / and my friends will second that / and I gotta admit sometimes it’s pretty sad, but it’s like we’re our own ‘Brat Pack’ / we’re always kickin back, nobody can take that / and that is that,” and “You don’t know just when to stop / you’re living your life to be on top / so step back and be real / and just admit the way you feel.”

In the end, "Hello, Good Friend" just doesn’t add up. Avery can play a lot of instruments and write some charming pop music; now he just needs to figure out the rest of the equation by adding some depth to his lyrical content and finding a vocal range that isn’t so grating.






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    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, May 3, 2006 at 6:14 PM (EDT)

    wow i love it when the same person comments like 6 times in a row to try to prove a point.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, April 20, 2006 at 2:55 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    hello bryce if you see this plzz comment me back
    im seeing ur show soon
    and my sister is coming along as well
    she went to your school collyville high and she was in the band with you and i was wondeinrg if you rembered her, her nane is jenny kendall
    well just wondering hit me up if you do sjhow@sbglobal.net
    alirghty thanks
    btw you rock!!!!!!!!!

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, July 29, 2005 at 11:18 AM (EDT)

    I really liked this album. Bryce writes songs that reflect his personality: fun, upbeat and energetic. And even if you think they're just okay, I highly recommend seeing one of his shows if you get the chance. The one I went to might have been the most entertaining show I've ever seen.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, July 19, 2005 at 10:46 PM (EDT)

    Ok the rocket summer fucking rocks! shut the hell up haters...if you hate them so much why do u waste the time to comment? Fuckers.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, July 17, 2005 at 3:43 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    you guys are all incredibly moronic. bryce has one of the hottest wives EVER. way better than any of u will ever get legally. do ur homework before u start gay bashing idiots....looking manly is over rated....as long as it gets the chicks who cares. go listen to your metallica, slipknot and linkin park and be done with it

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, July 15, 2005 at 5:26 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Just cause you have opinions doesn't mean you're smart. If you don't like this music, shut the fuck up and go listen to something else.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, July 9, 2005 at 5:44 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Fuck all of you haters... The rocket summer is awesome... Bryce is not a pussy and hes better n way more talented then all u fuckin nerds!!!suck me

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, July 5, 2005 at 11:55 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    ok seriously you people that comment this review are fucking retarded...like honestly you cant say anything when this is a punk site...fucking punk is the worst shit that has ever hit the earth...ya its worse than country so i dont think any of you have fucking room to talk...this album is amazing and ive listened to it nonstop lately and i have not got bored of it at all. wow i never new people could be so fucking retarded, honestly

    Posted by DickAround on 2005-06-20 20:43:39

    One of the worst bands I've ever seen.

    I didn't watch, but I had to listen... I don't think many people were into this shit.

    Posted by EMOHOLOCAUST on 2005-06-20 17:52:19

    ahhh shit ive met this guy way back in summer 2003
    damn waht a queer/

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, June 20, 2005 at 5:35 PM (EDT)

    who's this fuckrag on the cover?

    ----Travis.

    Posted by mjg on 2005-06-20 13:48:00

    survey says: douchebag

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, June 19, 2005 at 4:53 PM (EDT)

    is that just a random pussy on the cover...or is that the rocket summer

    - pussyfoot

    Posted by piratasmuertas on 2005-06-19 11:01:07

    Neither has that guy on the cover.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, June 18, 2005 at 10:51 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Dude, I'm 212 pounds, and have never played guitar in my life.

    -Chinatown

    Posted by swingline on 2005-06-18 15:35:26

    123notit. you'd figure with all the use of "fag" on this site, you people would know how to spell it's elongated form "faggOt". fags.

    Posted by Anchors on 2005-06-18 14:18:24

    That comment about me and Chinatown was pretty clever, I'll give credit where it's due.

    But that's the lovechild of Tate and NFGpunker.

    Posted by Jesse on 2005-06-18 12:11:16

    I wish I had such a sassy stance.

    Posted by piratasmuertas on 2005-06-18 10:04:52

    Not sure if they show it on back of this album, but if you were to get a camera taking a shot of this guys reverse side you will see that he has a hole in his jeans and a butt plug stuffed in his ass. Take a look at the akward stance and that cute, gay little smirk. He totally vioated himself.

    Oh, I'm pretty sure that it's not China, Swingline or Anchors....

    It's Jason Tate.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, June 18, 2005 at 2:00 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    scores for the anchors/chinatown comment a few posts down. genius. but i'm pretty fucking sure it's that faggit swingline.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 17, 2005 at 5:42 PM (EDT)

    "This shit was the theme song for the Women's Softball College World Series on ESPN."

    Why were you watching the Softball College World series in the first place?

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 17, 2005 at 4:24 PM (EDT)

    horrid

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 17, 2005 at 4:04 PM (EDT)

    I can't tell whether it's Anchors or Chinatown on the picture.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 17, 2005 at 3:41 PM (EDT)

    Seeing that guy makes me want to punch him in the face.

    Posted by steveman on 2005-06-17 14:40:43
    My Score:

    Yeah, I saw this guy not long ago with Gatsby's American Dream. All I can say was that he sucked. There were very few people (other than the preppy chicks in Dashboard shirts) there to see him until it started raining outside and we all had to go in. He sounds like a something corporate rip off, with worse lyrics and much worse vocals.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 17, 2005 at 1:29 PM (EDT)

    the other day this fucking 40 year old fat woman in a suburban had a bumper sticker on it that had a sign of a man a sign of a woman = marriage. ingint!

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 17, 2005 at 4:13 AM (EDT)

    What are you talking about? The cover rocks!!! Bryce and I are best friends, I'm so hardcore. NUFAN wrote the bible.

    - Chinatown

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 17, 2005 at 3:45 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Why reviewing something apparently as bad as the cover itself and something no one has never heard about before and probably never will

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 17, 2005 at 3:15 AM (EDT)

    why would you put that as the cover? it makes no sense.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 17, 2005 at 3:14 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    I love this album. It satisfies my pop fix completely. I do, however, hate what Bryce has done to himself. Before he just looked gay, now he looks gay AND like a tool. I've met him and he's a really nice guy and he's married so I know he's neither of those two things but good god that spiked hair is awful.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 17, 2005 at 2:49 AM (EDT)

    This shit was the theme song for the Women's Softball College World Series on ESPN.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 17, 2005 at 1:08 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Wow, an eight-year-old holding a guitar.

    -Chinatown

    Posted by CellarDoor on 2005-06-17 01:02:24
    My Score:

    Great review. This album gets boring after a couple of plays.

    Posted by swingline on 2005-06-17 00:53:09

    mccauley culkin? no. he does however, to this day, have to watch his ass when he walks down dark alleys. there are groups of followers, most likely nambla members, who are still obsessed over his pretty little mouth.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 17, 2005 at 12:51 AM (EDT)

    if that guy doesnt do something soon he's gonna start breaking out in vagina sores

    - pussyfoot

    - give credit where credit due: southpark

    Posted by psychoos231 on 2005-06-17 00:37:38

    Is that the kid from Home Alone on the cover?

    Posted by swingline on 2005-06-17 00:31:09

    that kid on the cover totally receives.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 17, 2005 at 12:18 AM (EDT)

    I saw this guy a couple weeks back, and excuse my moment of ignorance, because I usually don't describe things in this way...but this was the gayest shit i've ever seen...I mean I love me some poppy songs, but good fucking lord

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