Schoolyard Heroes - Abominations

Genre punk rock Publisher Stolen Transmission Records External Links Official Schoolyard Heroes Website Stolen Transmission Records

Schoolyard Heroes have made an album of Abominations. Horror bubblegum pop-punk shim sham. And somehow, amidst MSI crap and goth pop-punk some a good song was born of the almost-PJ Harvey kind. Except much of Abominations swings another way, into the cold dead trap of pop-punk. Ouch!

You've got grinding angst-pop mixed with some metal vocals and song titles like "Plastic Surgery Hall of Fame" and "All the Pretty Corpses". Guitars do the death-metal thing alongside pounding drums and everything keeps pace. These parts are okay, but everything is too polished and clean to make an impact. And then yup, the song takes a dive in favor of another boring verse of sulky pop-punk.

"The Last Man on Earth" is the good one. It's quiet unlike any other track. The song rests itself mostly on an acoustic guitar and some jangled drums. Ryann Donnely's vocals pitch themselves around and maintain a reserved tension. "We raise our glass though there's nothing left". Unassuming lyrics on an album that fits itself with "Cemetery Girls" and "Dude, Where's My Skin?" The song sticks out like a shiney thumb, hoping to be picked up and taken out of shits-ville (Donnely). If the band were to pursue another side…ehh.

Likewise, "Beautiful Woman Hunter" takes a similar approach, but sags in the chorus when the band turns up the guitars and pushes the "Evanescence" button. Guitars soar and another one goes down. At least they sound like they're having fun…?

I certainly do not like Abominations. "The Last Man on Earth" is a good enough song though. Maybe the band is a more formidable experience live…