Reviewed by Peter John Willoughby

You had to wonder how All Star United was going to follow on from their stellar release 'Love And Radiation'. It was obviously a challenge not to be taken lightly, especially if you are going to call your next one 'The Good Album'! And what else would you expect when songwriter and producer Ian Eskelin won last year's Dove Award for Producer Of The Year. Having started out in 1997, they have been maturing nicely over the past 12 years and here bring us their sixth serving of pop rock. Although now they have more in common with Kasabian (rather than Oasis) as it has an infectious feel-good vibe. Opening with a scorching riff in "Surface Of The Sun" they give their fans what they have come to expect, an upbeat song with a catchy chorus. There is an alternative love song in "Crashing Cars" about heart-break, which is far too chirpy to leave you feeling sorry for yourself. You'll either love or hate "Dude, That's Freakin' Awesome" with its juvenile lyrical content. It's a clever put down of guys who just don't want to grow up and face responsibility ("We all know you're crazy cuz you tell us all the time/When you've had a few too many and you call/I know it's your life but do you really wanna waste it all?"). Besides the up-tempo rockers, there are also some slower stadium classics in "The Blame" and "Once Again, With Feeling". All in all, well up to All Star United's high standards.

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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