Crash Romeo - Gave Me the Clap

Genre pop Publisher Trustkill Records External Links Crash Romeo Website

Crash Romeo's follow up to their freshmen effort, Minutes to Miles, is much of the same. 2008's Gave Me the Clap is fine tuned power-up and pop twisted punk rock with an emo twist that the scene and industry has become quite familiar. With 11 songs set to be released on March 25th, Crash Romeo's newest record is almost a crash, if not a near miss.

The first cut from Gave me the Clap is a song called 'About to Break'. The song introduces the band as it recognizes itself in a worn out drama. As the lyrics declare, "we're a dying breed and all we need is ashtrays and apathy" and "we can try to let it go but the kids will never go home". The album's second track, 'Popular' is another power pop song that just might be the albums single. A catchy melody full of clean harmonies and thump like claps is another song which represents a youthful feeling of resisting but wanting a pop culture persona. With vocalist Travis Weber's tenor range, there is something here that definitely will draw susceptible teens alike to its message. The album's title track, which comes in third respectively, is one of its most active adventures. It also shows the bands' emo roots as Weber mourns " I want to see you rip my heart out and give it back to me". The beginning of the track also features a duel guitar lick which is impressive for its 16th note hammers and the musicianship it requires to synchronize such a fill.

'One Night Only' and 'Victim Liar' could also be singles. 'Victim Liar' is everything one could expect from an album of this genre featuring cheesy lyrics like "if you play the victim, I'll play the liar". 'One Night Only' features a drone like key part, a vocal style that pierces the inner ear, and a memorable coda that declares, "Just one night only". By this point however, we are reminded of how laughably appealing teenage expressions can be. 'Give Me Something' is the album's ballad, placed towards the middle to end of the album, respectively. Another emo song that declares "I've been through hell and back just to hear your voice" beckons one to wonder just what such a hell might be or how an experience like this is any different from any tale of broken romance. 'Set it Off' begins nicely, noteworthy for its interesting harmonization between guitar effects and keys until the song then moves back to traditional Crash Romeo after about 25 seconds. The sudden change does create a nice dynamic but this is quickly smothered by the song's obvious teenage driven appeal. The album's best song, in personal opinion, is its last attempt called 'Better Off in New Jersey'. The song has by far the most energy (thanks to the guitar licks) and at the very least sticks to a proven formula for successful pop emo-power punk or whatever it is called now.

Reviewing this album is like listening to the radio, you need only to go through it once or twice before you've had enough. That being said, Gave Me the Clap would be a much better album had it been released at least five years ago. If you've ever heard of the Starting Line, Midtown, A Simple Plan, or A New Found Glory, then you already know what to expect from Gave me The Clap. Although the album is well performed and well produced, the lyrics are primitive and three thousand times over done with the sound itself much of the same. It simply lacks the creative and originality to make anything of itself. Unless you're interested in listening to emotional tirades told from pop tones or have a fetish for listening to the same kinds bands reinvent each other, Crash Romeo's Gave Me the Clap is not for you.