Midwest rockers
Motion City Soundtrack give their best post-grunge impression on their studio debut,
I Am the Movie. It's probably the slickest thing Epitaph has released up to this point and pretty stylish compared to their celebrated punk roster (
Bad Religion,
Pennywise,
Rancid,
Dropkick Murphys), but who's to say that
Motion City Soundtrack isn't worthy of being on such a label?
I Am the Movie is layered with rich guitar hooks and small electronic bits are precisely tweaked throughout the 14-song set. The band's fierce musicianship is solid and frontman/guitarist Justin Pierre's emo-tinged vocals are charming, and fans of
Jimmy Eat World and the like will enjoy that. What's made Epitaph a staple among the punk community all these years is their ability to single out the pure rock & roll grit, and
Motion City Soundtrack doesn't exactly possess such energy. But don't write 'em off just yet.
I Am the Movie is ambitious in presentation and pop kids latching onto the new-millennium wave of post-alternative rock will appreciate the band's whimsical rock sound.
Motion City Soundtrack might be aiming for that polished punk-inspired style and obviously they're eager in effort, so the potential is there. There's nothing wrong with some shiny punk-pop. ~ MacKenzie Wilson