I have a downer on Fireworks because I ordered their debut EP from their then label two years ago and never received it. I wasn’t the only one to be fobbed off by their then label either, receiving promises it had been sent. Not cool and not a way to build up a reputation as a band or label.
Thankfully Fireworks have left said shitty label and are now on a much, much better one in Triple Crown (ex Brand New, Hit The Lights). This is their debut album and it will absolutely undoubtedly take them to headier heights than those they’ve already sampled. Part ‘Coming Home’-era New Found Glory, part Hit The Lights and part Race The Sun, ‘All I Have To Offer Is My Own Confusion’ manages to switch from pure awesome to super bland in the blink of an eye. I love pop-punk and I loved this kind of Americanised tinge too, so I’d like to think I know what I’m talking about. And when Fireworks push the accelerator pedal down they sound brilliant. ‘Come Around’ is so much fun, as is ‘2923 Monroe Street’. ‘Show Me Your Vanishing Act One More Time’, complete with backing ‘woahs’ is brilliant. And ‘Detroit’ has a huge vocal melody and hook that will have you singing along all summer.
There’s plenty to like. But there’s also too many moments of frustrating, bland moments that seem to have been picked up from New Found Glory‘s b-side bin. ‘Holiday’ is one of those tracks which may well grow on me, but as it stands it sounds EXACTLY like New Found Glory when they’re filling in an album. There are other songs too that just sound a bit too familiar or plod along. Maybe hopes were too high, maybe other people have hyped this a bit too much. I’m not sure…but in places I’m just underwhelmed.
‘All I Have To Offer Is My Own Confusion’ is a bit hit and miss, although it is more hit than miss. It will be the soundtrack to many people’s summers that’s for sure but I just get the impression this isn’t quite as good as I hoped it would be.