The Subways lay it all out with the title of their third album,
Money and Celebrity. It’s a concept record of sorts, with the trio bashing out fizzy punk-poppers about celebrities, money, and parties, all the ingredients leading to a “Popdeath.” Topically, these tabloid tunes are very new millennium indeed, but musically the group is stuck in the ‘90s, something that producer Stephen Street has a field day with, underlining every passing resemblance to
Blur,
Ash, or
These Animal Men. Street gives
Money and Celebrity color and coaxes enough energy out of
the Subways to keep the album moving. Deep it is not, and its aspirations to be something greater keep it from being truly trashy fun, but there are enough energy and hooks to keep
Money and Celebrity entertaining. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine