Automatic 7 turned out to be pretty crafty pop-punk recyclers, but this 1995 offering contains only a hint of the stark, yet catchy post-revivalism the band mastered five years later with the release of their follow-up. Issued on Better Youth Organization,
Automatic 7 is more trite pop than rugged punk. Lacking an urgency or insight reminiscent of '90s punk heroes Face to Face and Jawbreaker -- despite comparisons brought on by critics and the band themselves -- this debut sounds marginal and misaligned. Singer/guitarist John Hulett seems to be improvising lyrically as he spews random banalities over compositions that are a tad more forgivable, but none the less vacant. Tracks like "Hold On" and "Getting Older" exemplify the calculated essence that weighs this record down.
Automatic 7 feels uncomfortable with itself and cannot be recommended. Fortunately the group made up for this troubled disc when they re-emerged in 2000 with a superior sophomore effort Beggar's Life, a more focused collection that answers the awkward questions raised by this debut. ~ Vincent Jeffries