Artist: Autopilot Off Album: Make a Sound Year: 2004 Genre: Pop Punk
My Age Then: I have no amusing anecdotes to accompany this album. I was seventeen and this was an okay album that I didn't listen to a lot.
My Age Now: This album is midway between pop punk and alternative rock. It's like the older brother of an 00s emo band. The lyrics are not especially cringe-worthy, the vocals are not especially whiny, and the music is just barely dense enough to remain more or less interesting. It's an inoffensive pop punk album. I take no issue with any one track. Unfortunately, that means it doesn't make for a particularly interesting review. Imagine a less-aggressive Rise Against, or Green Day without the singer sounding like he has his tongue stuck to the inside of a freezer door.
After the first four tracks, you've pretty much heard the entire thing, but once it's over, you can't remember any of it. I recognize each song while it plays, but can't bring it to memory for the life of me. At the end, I'm left ambivalent and undecided between keeping it in my catalogue and never bothering with it again. It begs the question, is it worse to be awful but entertaining, or decent but forgettable?
Best Tracks:Make a Sound, Blessed By a Nightmare, Chromatic Fades, I don't know, pick any of them, they're all the same.
Rating: 2.5 / 5, or "It's a Grower"
How I Feel About it Now: If I haven't listened to it in ten years until today, I probably don't need a copy on hand "just because".
See For Yourself:
The first song there kind of reminds me of Volbeat's most recent album. Not a bad thing, I can admit to liking some cheesy 90s/00s pop-punk. I like these reviews, they're entertaining since I've never heard any of these albums although I've heard a couple of AOB songs many, many times over. Good work!
