Australian trio
the Living End have been mining the territory between pop-punk and rockabilly for well over a decade now, and their experience shines through in the slick musicianship of their sixth studio album,
The Ending Is Just the Beginning Repeating. Opening trio "In the Morning," "Heatwave," and "Machine Gun" kick the album off at a blistering tempo, with echoes of Bay Area heroes
Bad Religion and contemporaries
Bayside flickering through alongside upright bass runs and wandering guitar licks. Curiously, the album becomes somewhat flat from that point on. Meandering radio ballad "For Another Day" is the first offender, marrying tepid instrumentation with bland, ambiguous lyrics, while "Ride the Wave" and "Resist" offer little more than reverb-soaked guitars and irritating clichés. "Away from the City" brings back the rockabilly swagger but falls down on a dull chorus melody, and it's only closing tracks "Universe" and "The Ending Is Just the Beginning Repeating" that save the album from becoming a total write-off. The title track (co-written by
the Hold Steady's
Craig Finn and a wise choice for the lead single) is a particular triumph; with thoughtful lyrics and an instantly memorable hook, it's everything a pop-punk anthem is supposed to be. It's just a shame there aren't more like it. ~ Dave Donnelly