All Time Low is one of the biggest pop punk bands in the scene that haven't made it to radio (though that could soon change). They are one of the few popular bands that have started from the bottom, doing hometown shows and getting signed by a tiny record label, and have made it as high as any band can get in the scene. After three albums and two EPs, All Time Low have the formula for great pop music down. Nearly every song off their most recent release, Nothing Personal, proves that.
While many pop punk bands play the game very safe with peppy melodies and energetic lyrics, All Time Low venture into darker territory with "Poison," a unique track that was left off Nothing Personal except as a bonus track. Why did All Time Low leave one of their best tracks off their possibly breakthrough record? The reason is that "Poison" is not your average pop punk song, and it commands a completley different vibe from the rest of the album.
"Poison"'s main appeal, to me, is its grittiness. It is a dark track about the negative aspects of being a rockstar, and you can tell no one was smiling as it was recorded, though that's not to say they didn't put all their energy into it. The song starts off slow, with a paced drum beat, followed by the introduction of singer Alex Gaskarth's unique voice and a guitar playing in a foreboding minor key. The chorus kicks in, breaking the melancholy of the first verse with catchy vocals and a creatively placed synth line, but ends on a hard note before a bass-drop kicks in. The second verse relays a level of anger very unusual for a pop band, but All Time Low pull it off with talent and power. The instrumental bridge is packed with rock-and-roll guitar a palm-muted verse, before All Time Low smash into the final chorus and wretch the demons from deep inside the pop punk vault with heavy distortion.
You can write All Time Low off as "just another pop punk band," but "Poison" reveals a level of maturity and grit unseen in their contemporaries. It was smart of them to have left it off Nothing Personal, for its themes and sounds differ greatly from the romance-laden lyrics found on many of the other osngs on the album. This is one b-side for the ages, and it turns out this this b-side is closer to the dark side than anything you should be prepared to see.
RIYL Paramore, There for Tomorrow, My American Heart, Hit the Lights
Track:
All Time Low - "Poison" (not my link)
For Comparison:
All Time Low:
1 comments:
I downloaded the All Time Low album earlier today since you mentioned it last night and I realized I only had one All Time Low song. Its going to take me a few more listens to have a fully formed opinion. My initial thought was that some songs seem too overdone, which is why I appreciate the grittier aspect of this song.
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