Punknews.org

|
Sign In | create an account

Sound the Alarm

Stay Inside (2007)
Universal Music Group

Reviewer Rating:

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

Published on August 10th 2007

Sound the Alarm released this debut full-length on a major (Geffen), which is quite an accomplishment for the boys, but there’s a good reason for the major label signing -- these guys are tailor-made to break into the public consciousness and attract hordes of 13-year-old girls. Just one look at them makes it obvious. You have a bunch of kids who need haircuts and are quite young (not young enough to think Santa Claus put the record contract under their tree, but young enough that they probably don’t know the locations of the warp whistles in "Super Mario Bros. 3") playing catchy tunes. Despite a press release that boasts of Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin influences, what you’re more likely to hear is influence from Yellowcard, the Academy Is…, Taking Back Sunday and other mall-punk acts (with a few hints of `90s radio rock).

The tracks are mostly chorus-driven pop-rock pieces that do everything to stress their catchy refrains. The lyrics are all filled with the teen angst you’d expect, and Howard Benson (who produced similar artists such as My Chemical Romance and the All-American Rejects) highlights it all with extremely smooth production. One point of interest on the disc is that these kids can really play their instruments -- some of the guitar solos busted out are quite impressive for the band’s young age, and shows some good creativity. Unfortunately, this is about all that stands out on these 12 tracks.

There really isn’t much to say about Sound the Alarm. While they do a fairly good job of this music, there is little on this album that disassociates the band from their contemporaries. The album will be loved by its target demographic, but in a year or two this disc will likely be all but forgotten.

Login to rate this album

Please login or register to post comments.

What are the benefits of having a Punknews.org account?

Share your opinion by posting comments on the stories that interest you
Rate music and bands and help shape the weekly top ten
Let Punknews.org use your ratings to help you find bands and albums you might like
Customize features on the site to get the news the way you want.

Deadpan (August 13, 2007)

Yup. Imagine getting hit by those at 30mph. Even if it didn't kill him, Bowser would be seriously fucked up after that.

joshcbfl (August 13, 2007)

Christ, Deadpan. You weren't kidding.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Yo shitoshi_Rainy_Day_Tanuki.jpg

Deadpan (August 12, 2007)

Tanooki Mario makes me laugh, because for some reason, Nintendo chose not to give him massive testicles like the Tanooki things of Japanese mythology. Shame. It would have been way cooler to use his giant balls as some kind of weapon instead of turning into a statue.

Score's for mondo ball sacks.

Anonymous (August 11, 2007)

"I'm 26 and I can't remember where the whistles are. Time to break out the nintendo."

1-3, you have to crouch on the long white block and go behind the scenery to the end of the stage

First mini castle, Get the leaf and pick up speed...fly up to the top of the screen at the end of the stage and go all the way to the right and press down.

2nd level - You have to get the hammer...I don't remember how...and break a rock and you'll get the 3rd, and final flute.

daff (August 11, 2007)

I'm 26 and I can't remember where the whistles are. Time to break out the nintendo.

Anonymous (August 10, 2007)

No way, Hammer Suit was best because you could kill ghosts with that thing.

freesandwich (August 10, 2007)

Score is for the frog suit. That was pretty cool too.

joshcbfl (August 10, 2007)

To this day, Tanooki Mario is my favorite. While the cape in Super Mario World was really cool, it has nothing on the Tanooki suit. Turning into a statue and crushing Goombas/Koopa Troopas was the shit.

The score is for crushing the shit out of things.

Anonymous (August 10, 2007)

STA sold 600 albums first week. Talk about tanking..

brown (August 10, 2007)

5th world, the sky level.

minus_20_scene_points (August 10, 2007)

my brain is failing me. i cannot for the life of me remember where to get the tanooki suit. some help, please?

score is for tanooki suit/warp whistles.

Conduit (August 10, 2007)

Score is, and only ever will be for warp whistles.

trevor_the_exploder (August 10, 2007)

young enough that they probably don’t know the locations of the warp whistles in "Super Mario Bros. 3"

best line i have ever read on this site. bravo sir.

branden (August 10, 2007)

is there anybody in the world that doesnt know where the warp whistles are in super mario 3?