The debut full-length from Set Your Goals has been one of the most anticipated releases for myself and countless others for the year of 2006. It's been a long time coming since they first popped up on the hardcore/punk scene two years ago, though it seems like it has been so much longer. Well after a patient wait, which saw the bands demo re-released and re-re-released, fans of the Bay Area pop-punk/hardcore group can now rest easy. Mutiny! is upon us.
"Work in Progress" opens the album as a declaration of what the entity of Set Your Goals is about - the band provides an acoustic driven build-up as vocalists Jordan Brown and Matt Wilson declare their plan to never stop. However, midway through the song bursts forth with a mix of high-octane drumming, speeding riffs, and intricate guitar melodies that would do Lifetime proud. The song reaches it peak and cuts into "We do it for the Money, Obviously." The song has a humorous title, obviously a sarcastic knock at being called sellouts for writing pop music and signing to a bigger label. Although Eulogy is sizable by indie label standards, it is by no means even close to a major. The lyrics pretty much reflect those sentiments:
We're all sellouts in you eyes, that's no surprise. We'll we've never tried to disguise everything that we wanted to be. But honestly, who cares what you have to say?
Following the lead in of "Dead Men Tell No Tales" - I can already see the hundreds of Pirates of Caribbean references to this song and the album title - Set Your Goals blast into the title track. "Mutiny!" is a commentary by the band about their search for a record label for what would become this album. The title and lyrics contained are a spot on attack on the recording industry and its mission to find "the next big thing." Personal favorite lines from the song are: "Sign our band and we'll write you a chorus / We will use your gimmick if you think they will sell us." Oh you silly major labels, will you ever learn?
In the middle of the album we reach the songs that reach outside of the topic of the recording industry. "This Song is Definitely not About a Girl" is the band's response to the misinterpretation of their lyrics. "An Old Book Misread" tackles the subject of organized religion. I've got to commend the band for hitting on this topic, it definitely isn't something I'm used to seeing talked about (especially in pop-punk), at least in a fair and just manner. Lots of band's speak of the negative aspects of religion, just without conscious thought or effort - 99.5% of the metal bands in the world sounds about right.
"To Be Continued..." is the standout track in my opinion. The music poppy, yet it still has that hardcore influence in its structure - think Nothing Gold Can Stay-era New Found Glory. The lyrics are infectious; I've probably played this song a hundred times already and sang along at the top of my lungs every single time. And I plan on playing it hundreds more. Mutiny! concludes with what could be Set Your Goals best opportunity for mainstream exposure, "Echoes." The song is reminiscent of both Blink-182 and Taking Back Sunday at points in structure and sound. The duel-vocals of Brown and Wilson are at their best as they play off each other with flawlessly smooth transitions. The pianos teamed with the "da-da-da"s are the perfect ending to this album.
A likely complaint that some are going to bring up in regards to Mutiny! is that several of the songs aren't even new and lack the punch when compared to their original form. Well, technically that is correct. A number of the songs appeared on an industry demo and have been altered slightly. However, those songs never should have seen the light of day, as they were just that, demos to shop to labels. Those taking up this argument need to quit complaining and enjoy the finished product. Sure it's a little more polished, but that's what happens when you actually get a recording budget more than $500, a legitimate producer, and more than three days to record a full-length.
Mutiny! is exactly what I expected from Set Your Goals - highly energetic pop-punk/hardcore with something meaningful to say, but not overtly serious. There are quite a few songs with some mainstream appeal that could help the band garner attention from the likes of the mall-punk scene currently obsessed with Fall Out Boy and bands of that ilk. Regardless of where and how far the remainder of 2006 takes them, Set Your Goals will have a special place in my heart and on my best of '06 list with Mutiny!.
