I am glad that i am not a radio personality because my voice is less then stellar from being that guy you see in his car trying to sing along with his CD player. Yes, the album is that good. It's been 3 days and i already have the first half of the album memorized. I don't think we could've asked for more from Ken Vasoli and the gang. The album as a whole is solid, and that's pretty rare to see these days from any bands sophomore full length.
I honestly didn't know what to expect from Based on a True Story when i first started listening to it. It seems that nowadays every band tries their hardest to stray away from what made people like them on their first album. Don't get me wrong, I am all for "maturing musically" or "trying something new," but (without mentioning any names) sometimes its ridiculous how some bands make a complete 180 in the span of two albums. Not the case with The Starting Line, I am happy to say. It's really good to see a band with some consistency! I mean, they managed to make a whole new great album without sounding horribly similar to their first full length Say It Like You Mean It while, at the same time, showing that they still know how to write good music. I mean, how could you not enjoy an album in which the chorus of the single starts out with the line "I'm gonna tear your ass up like we just got married." Vasoli's voice is also as good as it ever was. Let's hear it for a main-stream rock album with little to no screaming in it!!
It could've used a little more variety, though. I mean, the songs don't sound incredibly similar, but it's a situation where if you start the album for the first time, leave the room, and come back in five minutes, you would want to check your CD player to make sure that it's not the same song playing. There are, however, the essential acoustic songs that every poppy-rock album calls for, and, get this - they are good!
So, all in all, this is another solid album from what seems to be a solid band. Catchy tunes, perfect for summer BBQ's/trips to the beach/bro-downs/the whole nine. Songs may blend, but give it another listen and you'll realize that it is in fact one of many great '05 summer soundtracks.
