If not for the good people at Fueled by Ramen, I was fairly positive the TEEN IDOLS had broken up years ago and were old history by now (note: looks like the band recently broke up for good – bummer). With their first release in more than three years, and first that’s not on Honest Don’s, “Nothing to Prove” almost makes a clean break, with only the band’s insanely melodic, exhuberant pop-punk sound in tow. This is the band’s first full-length with new vocalist, Kevin, and unless you’re a very detail-oriented fan of the band, you’ll probably be hard pressed to notice a difference in vocal styles. Kevin hits all the harmonies just as their prior vocalist did, and oozes with the same sort of style. Still in the fold are the awesome complimentary female vocals of Heather, who unfortunately seems under-utilized on this release. As for the remainder of the band’s sound, the group has slowed down a bit, using more variety in tempo throughout the course of “Nothing to Prove.” Whereas prior material was essentially chock full of speedy punk rock, maintained at consistent levels, this disc starts with a blazingly fast romper called “Backstabber,” and immediately shifts into more passive pastures on the title track and the follow-up “Another Time.” “Nothing to Prove” was recorded at the famed Sonic Iguana by Mass Giorgi, which normally guarantees a sharp production job, but I’m not particularly satisfied with the way this disc sounds. While the vocals sound excellent, especially in group harmonies, the drums sound thin and lost in the mix and the guitars sound flat and uninviting. It’s hard to really find any warmth in the production, which is surprising, because the pop affections of this band have always in prior releases given them a bright and bouncy tone. I definitely like the packaging on here, even though the cover art, with only the metallic foil on a blackground looks kinda boring. The back cover however, with its awesome band photo and clean layout looks great, as does the band photography in the insert booklet. Even with my criticism of the recording, “Nothing to Prove” is still a highly rocking album that’s built upon the foundation of solid songwriting and people who can actually sing! (you think one would expect that in music, right?). I’ve never been a huge fan of the TEEN IDOLS in the past and I’m fairly sure that this disc won’t change that, but it’s definitely nice to see a band play pop-punk in this vibe and present an enticing, buoyant listening experience.

Fueled By Ramen

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