Album Details

• Artist: Pale Young Gentlemen
• Album: Pale Young Gentlemen
• Label: Science of Sound
• Year of Release: 2007
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: solitaryman on 2008-03-27

This review has me at arms. Nowhere in my collection is their room for crap; let it be known far and wide that my ears are not compatible with it. What's this, then, from Wisconsin's own Pale Young Gentlemen? Surely it's not...crap? Well, it has the same distinctive odor, but I cannot deny them some props. Some.

Let's get those out of the way. This, their debut and self-titled record, features tight musicianship and songwriting. The ballroom-ready glitz and glamour of these Panic at the Disco-sounding songs is right up the alley of thousands of you, I'm sure. If that sounds good enough for you, you can stop reading and check 'em out. Otherwise, I cannot approve of what I'm getting from the gents (and lady. she plays the cello. rad.). Mainly this is overglorified pop music, done up in a penny-orchestra style that I might dig were it not for the constant whine and Chris Martin mimicing vocalist Mike Reisenauser projects over every damn song. I can't get my feet tapping to any degree without his weird pronounciations and such mushing things up. Too bad too, because I sense a band who has bigger and better things in store for them behind him.

I don't like digging into bands that much, considering it takes some time and effort to get to the point where you're releasing your own music, I like to pay respect to that. But this is just crap, simple, mindless head-bopping crap. Everyone present can do better, and that includes you. I can't believe their promo dares make comparison to Paul McCartney AND Brian Wilson...are you crapping me? 

(Note: the "2" includes a point for the possibility of better things in the future. Like I said, the band isn't that bad...just the songs, and mostly the vocals.) 

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