Reviewed by Megan Dickey

Since the split of ska band Five Iron Frenzy, Reese Roper has obviously been at a loose end! Now he returns with his own band, which he has named. ahem. after himself. Naming bands must be so hard these days. They have left the horns behind and taken a turn from ska to pop punk. The album is full of witty lyrics and up beat energetic songs; easily compared to bands such as Relient K. However, the album is short on content by lacking a message in their songs. A track such as "You're With Stupid" is the typical anthem of boy in love with girl, but girl has a boyfriend. It brought me back to the hit song "Jessie's Girl" by Rick Springfield. In the song "1985", that's exactly what it is about, a reflection of 1985. "How Your Halo Fell" reminds listeners not to fall into the ordinary and that Jesus has called us to be so much more. Other highlights include an hilarious cover of Shania Twain's "You're Still The One". It will bring a smile to your face as you hear country music transformed. If you were a fan of Five Iron Frenzy and long for Reese Roper's voice then I'm sure you won't be disappointed with this one. But let's just hope Roper can find a balance between wit and depth for their future albums.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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