Punchline Please on 5th Album

Album Review: Punchline
Just Say Yes

Since local pop-punk favorites Punchline are coming to town tomorrow, we thought it appropriate to do a belated review of their September '08 release, Just Say Yes.

After several years with Fueled By Ramen, Punchline's fifth album was released on their own record label, Modern Short Stories. And for what this effort lacked in originality, it won us over with its just-plain-ear-catching tunes.

Let's face it--you've probably heard Just Say Yes before. Maybe it was by a group called The All-American Rejects, or Jimmy Eat World. But Punchline has been making music under the radar alongside these acts for years, and within the power-pop-punk niche they fall into, this album is a quality recording. There really isn't a reason why this couldn't sell as well as an AAR release--with the right publicity, of course.

While many tracks stick to a pretty standard formula, Punchline shines when they mix that sound with with other influences. The album opens with "Ghostie," an epic-sounding track a la My Chemical Romance; "Somewhere in the Dark," a bouncy break-up tune, channels Ben Folds Five; "Just Say Yes" would be right at home on a Death Cab for Cutie album; while "The Other Piano Man" shows hints of The Hush Sound.

While not all the tracks are memorable, certainly none are bad. The lyrics and vocals aren't perfect, but they're good. And there's no denying that they know how to put together appealing, toe tapping songs. We're interested to know how their show at Diesel goes on Saturday, as we won't be able to make it--readers, let us know!

Grade: B