Re-issues are bad. Let’s face it, they’re nothing more than a cash-in on a band’s success. I can see why labels do it, but that doesn’t mean I particularly agree with them. Having sold bucketloads of CDs in the US (and 3,000 over here), Tooth and Nail have whacked a few unreleased or rare songs on the end of the original CD, re-done the art and stuck a DVD on there for good measure. The end result is this re-issue, which isn’t worth getting if you’ve got this CD already – but then re-issues rarely are.
For those who didn’t get this CD first time round, you’ve missed out on one of the better emo/screamo records of the past 18 months. Sure, their spray on jeans and sept fringes are as cliched as they come, but the songs are clever, catchy and hard-hitting. Everyone will have danced to ‘Reinventing Your Exit’ at your local indie club, that’s almost a cast-iron guarantee. And while they don’t break any boundaries, they’ve certainly set the standards which a myriad of bands from both sides of the pond have attempted to emulate. We’ve already reviewed the CD itself (and I’d say fairly accurately), so I won’t repeat my thoughts on those 10 songs.
There are four extra tracks on this re-issue, however. ‘I’ve Got 10 Friends and a Crowbar That Says You Ain’t Gonna Do Jack’ appeared on a Smartpunk compilation and is more of the same patented formula, with thrashy guitars, scything screams and imginary limbs flailing. ‘The 80s Song’ is seemingly a remix of ‘It’s Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door’, while ‘You’re So Intricate’ could easily be a track which didn’t quite make the cut for the album.
The DVD is worth watching if you’re a fan, but lacks any kind of depth to make it a must buy. There’s no extensive live footage – just several songs recorded live but set to montages of the band messing about or throwing themselves around. An actual live set would have been a worthy addition, but without it there really is something lacking. The documentary, which lasts about 30 mins, shows on the road footage and the usual goofing around, as well as personal profiles on each member of the band. Again, nothing startling but interesting enough to watch through the once. The package as a whole is worth 4 stars, but I’m against re-issues so I’m knocking that to a 3, hence my rating overall. It’s probably not worth buying if you’ve already got this CD, but if you haven’t it’s a worthy addition to the collection.
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Golf/Solid State/Tooth and Nail
Paul