Album Details

• Artist: Alakrity
• Album: Whatever Happened To Good Tv?
• Label: Spurgatory Records
• Year of Release: 2009
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: sinist3r-punk on 2009-02-17

Well let me be perfectly honest. I was quite blown away by Alakrity's debut album Whatever Happened To Good TV?. I did not realize how much you could rip off the 1990's. If you have heard bands like Sum 41 or Blink-182, your not missing out on anything. It's as if the band was purposely trying to sound exactly like the year was 1999, not 2009. Let me try to explain what I mean.

There was a time when bands like Blink-182 and etc. were cool and inventive because they were taking punk and giving a "radio friendly" makeover. But that was over 10 years ago! I realize that there are some bands like Alakrity with their drive to try and bring back radio punk, but what seperates those bands from Alakrity is the simple fact that those bands don't sound exactly, note for freaking note, like Sum 41 or Lit! Every single song on this album sounds regurgitated from the crap they were trying to make us listen to in the 90's. Do you think i'm being melodramatic here? If you don't believe me, listen to any one song on Sum 41's All Killer No Filler album and then immediatly switch over to Alakrity's Whatever Happened To Good TV?. If your a little scared of the overpowering sense of Deja Vu you will feel when you listen to this album I have an alternative. Listen to that same Sum 41 album and replace the lyrics with softer, nicer sounding ones. Ladies and Gentlemen, we have ourselfs a match!

One last thing before I wrap this puppy up because I'm starting to ramble. You never, ever ever put a cover song on your debut album. I don't care if your the reincarnation of Led Zeppelin. Your first album has to prove you have what it takes to make it in this rough and abusive music industry. Now what kind of message are you sending when you cover not only a theme song, but the theme song of one of the most popular childrens' shows of the 90's! (do you see the 90's pattern here?) Alakrity has actually covered the theme song for the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (one of my personal favorite shows as a kid I might add). I can't really say anything else on the subject except for this. It's bad, and not cool bad like Michael Jackson.

I accept the fact that Alakrity is a Christian band, more power to them. I'm not attacking them in any way because they are a Christian band. Some people might think that being a Christian rock band is enough of a defense to go around shamelessly ripping off countless radio punk bands. If you are one of those people then let me let you in on a little known fact. As I Lay Dying, one of the better metalcore bands this side of the millenium, is in fact a Christian band. Worshipping God with your music is no excuse to be lazy and not come up with your own unique sound. If your not one of those religious rock and rollers who gobble up every album that has the slightest mention of God in it, then I only hope and pray (no pun intended) that you will heed my warning to stop and think before you listen to this album just because your roommate double dog dared you one drunken night at the drive-thru at Wendys.

User Reviews and Comments

Review:

on 2009-02-18 dscanland Said:

You know, I thought Alakrity has a pretty decent sound. Sure, there is nothing cutting edge on Whatever Happened but overall their sound is wonderfully polished. It's the sort of music that is just begging for radio play. I can't see a reason why mainstream radio wouldn't grab onto a track like "A Better Me". If more bands focused on the details like this band then radio wouldn't suck so much. Sure, pop punk has all been done but when it's done good then it's worth putting out. I respectfully disagree with you Sinist3r Punk.
Rating: 7/10