Album Review: Tonight Alive - The Other Side

Album Rating: B

I'm kind of hesitant to write a review for The Other Side because no matter how complex I make the album out to be, countless blogs will summarize the thing in two sentences "Poppy pop-punk with a serious knack for catchiness and fun. Jenna is hawt." Even so, the album deserves the attention of a full-fledged writeup because it's a great example of the phenomenon of female-fronted airwave-friendly pop-punk that isn't manufactured drivel. Of course, this isn't exactly new — Paramore does this, VersaEmerge (arguably) does this, and...shit, I'm out of examples. A necessary point to highlight with this, therefore, is just how alluring the music is. It's supremely easy to listen to, of course, but the hamminess and general malaise that plagues teeny-bopper pop-"punk" groups like Hey Monday and whatever other artists are selling CDs for Fueled by Ramen nowadays is almost totally absent from The Other Side (cheesy-ass piano intro to "Don't Wish" notwithstanding).

Artist of the Day: Tonight Alive

I should probably dislike "Breakdown." On first listen, this was certainly true - I despised the new hyper-poppy edge Tonight Alive displayed, I didn't enjoy lead singer Jenna McDougall's lower voice, and I thought  the appearance of Good Charlotte's Benji Madden detracted greatly from the song. However, I found myself coming back to the song over and over again. Now, I realize it's mostly a logical progression from the excellent pop-punk record What Are You So Scared Of?. The band is embracing its infectious edge, and they're harnessing the power of the quasi-mindless distorted guitars in a slightly different (but not worse) way than their previous outing. As time went on, McDougall revealed herself to me as the bubbly, charismatic lead singer I once knew her as, and the rest of the band fit snugly behind her voice, skilled if not overly impressive. What's more, I actually began to enjoy the slight shift in the band's sound, as the move even closer to Paramore's looming and omnipresent sound sounded a hell of a lot better than I once thought on subsequent plays. Madden even fit well into the song, something I never would have thought possible. "Breakdown" sets the stage nicely for the band's upcoming album The Other Side, to be released September 6, and if the album is anywhere close to the song it's sure to be a winner.

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Dizcovering Muzik: Volume 1 Out Now

It's finally here. After weeks of hype, Dizcovering Muzik: Volume One has officially been released. This is my gift to all of you for helping the site continue growing. Please continue to come to the site, as there is much much more to come in the future. Be sure to fan us on Facebook, and tell us what your favorite tracks on the sampler are! You can download and stream the entire sampler totally free here, or right on this page.

Tonight Alive Posts New Song For Download

Everyone knows that I've been hyping up Tonight Alive for the longest time now. The first song released from the upcoming album proves that the hype was well worth it. "Breaking And Entering" shows a large progression in pretty much every aspect of the band's music, as they definitely seem to be leaving their cookie cutter female-led pop-punk sound. Jenna's vocals are stronger than ever, and every member of the band has improved their instrumentals dramatically. Tonight Alive has definitely shed their "Paramore clone" status, as they show exceptional growth, and are getting closer and closer to breaking out in a huge way. You can stream and download the song for free here.

Interview With Jenna From Tonight Alive

From the land down under, Tonight Alive is a band that is going to be huge this time next year. Although people may say that they are trying to rip off Paramore, Tonight Alive is still an extremely young band trying to find their sound. Their latest EP Consider This showed growth from the first EP, and since then they were signed to Sony Records and have been recording with producer Mark Trombino. Lots of information about the differences between the American and Australian scenes, the recording process, reflections on past work, and plans for 2011, including touring the US, after the jump.

Tonight Alive

Everybody loves Australia. From kangaroos to crocodile hunters to amazing accents, Australia just seems like heaven. Tonight Alive is just another great thing about Australia. Imagine an Australian Paramore. That's Tonight Alive. However, Tonight Alive still stands out due to lead singer Jenna McDougal's excellent vocals and the band's solid songwriting skills. The band is currently in the US recording their first full length album with Mark Trombino, better known as the producer of some of Jimmy Eat World's albums. The band has two excellent EPs out, All Shapes and Disguises and Consider This. You should consider checking out the band on their myspace page here.