It’s criminal to me that Over It never got bigger than they did. ‘Timing Is Everything’ is one of the best pop-punk albums ever written, it has everything – riffs, melodies, choruses, singalongs… everything. For whatever reason Over It have not hit those heights since and their major label albums have seriously turned up the pop factor, which I feel is to their detriment. ‘The Strand’, however, is a reminder at how good the band can be when they crank up the pace. A b-sides and acoustic record it features never-heard-before songs which missed the cut from previous albums. And on the whole it’s really good.
‘Anyday’ is fast and furious and a briliant start, while ‘City Lights‘ is more of the same. They are both songs which would have stood out on the last album, yet both missed the cut. ‘Whitewater’ is better still, classic Over It with everything that made the band so good in the first place. Even the acoustic songs sound great; ‘We Are The Ordinary’ is a faithful version, while ‘Waiting’ is a blast from the past and a great reminder as to why ‘TIE’ is such a brilliant record.
Start with ‘Timing is Everything’ if you’re new to Over It. After that go for ‘Silverstrand’ and then this – it’s worthy of your time and money.