THE BANK ROBBERS “The Pattern Reversed”
To be honest, I had trouble reviewing THE BANK ROBBERS since a classic episode of The Simpsons was demanding my immediate attention. I had seen the episode a dozen times already, with everything from Homer’s cut off thumb to Lisa’s science project Lingo, but I could still watch it a dozen more. That’s one of the things that makes great music great…no matter how many times you listen to it the songs never get old, and can even provide some detail of the track that you had never before realized. The music is unique and innovative enough to create an atmosphere of its own. You’ll find yourself at a Taco Bell one night remembering back to when you first discovered BAD RELIGION while scarfing down a burrito. This is what great music does, and despite their potential this is one thing THE BANK ROBBERS lack. “The Pattern Reversed” is nothing original and sounds like a copy of a copy of a copy (thank you, Edward Norton). The quintet plays the familiar pop punk with occasional screaming, following in the steps of TAKING BACK SUNDAY, BRAND NEW, and SENSES FAIL. It’s not bad musicianship (the talent is there along with solid production), but I’d easily choose any of the aforementioned groups before throwing this album on. The songs cling to a verse-chorus-verse-chorus-breakdown-chorus format, rarely transitioning into something different. The breakdowns are predictable and the lyrics rhyme “see” and “be” one too many time for my tastes. I’m a sucker for acoustic tracks, but neither of the two stood out to me. I felt like skipping each track just to get it over with in some vain attempt to find a song worth noting as an exception, but it was to no avail. THE BANK ROBBERS do have potential and have gained a following in the NJ area, but I think they’ve gotten ahead of themselves. With major labels beginning to gobble up underground pop punk and emo, more and more bands like THE BANK ROBBERS will emerge. They should of spent a few more years perfecting their sound and building a fan base before signing any type of contract. With a few more years under their belts they could crack out something a little more original; the talent is definitely there. They need to take a step back after this release rather than take another step forward. The pop punky emo craze won’t be around forever, and unless THE BANK ROBBERS find a style of its own soon, the band will be noted as just another blip on the trendy band signing radar.
No Milk Records
