Reviews
Shredding Paper #17:
Another label, a new drummer, and another fun release of pop punk from the pen and guitar of Christy Brigette Darlington.
Pure pop punk; full of hooks and fun lead guitar work, occasionally goofy lyrics, and more than a few songs about girls (or
more specifically, one girl on this one, as a few songs are dedicated to "Lola," They've always taken a cue or two from the
Queers "Love Songs" era, and this release is no exception; a fair amount of snot, plenty of hooks, and a lot of fun. The drumming
sounds a little off on this, although it might just be the mixing that makes it sound thin.. still the songs are top notch and there
is a nice contender for a good punk rock Christmas song, which the world could always use one more of, which followed by a song about
pooping with the appropriate chorus of "skid marks." Does it get any better than that?
impactpress.com:
A most excellent song about taking a shit ends this disc. Dook is all you'll ever need to know about
crapping. Skate rock, fast, short songs. This disc had 10 songs and clocks in at just over 20 minutes. The songs grow on you. - MK
Jersey Beat:
Productive purveyors of the pop punk, Dallas' Darlington release yet another full length on yet another label.
Usually staying well within the Ramones/Screeching Weasel/Queers confines of their genre, the band has changed their songwriting style somewhat
and vocalist Christy has changed his singing style to where the whole thing sounds a lot like Squirtgun. Only ten songs here so it all passes
quickly, but you'll have to skip the Christmas carol! - Johnny Puke
Now Wave Magazine:
I didn't want to like this CD. After all, my dislike for the music of Darlington is almost as integral to my persona as my fondness for
Plochman's mustard, my irrational fear of mimes, or my disdain for the Atlanta Braves (I TOLD you those fuckers would choke again!). For
years, Darlington's generic, mediocre recorded output has justified every nasty thing that pop-punk haters have ever said about pop-punk
music. Given the choice between having to watch a Julia Roberts movie marathon and having to listen to Girltroversy six times in a row, I'd
choose to kill myself.
But guess what! All the Wrong Moves DOESN'T SUCK! Really! I'm not ready to go join the fan club or anything, but this disc is actually kinda
good. Either this band is getting better, or maybe I've just mellowed. Who knows? Perhaps after hearing all of those whiny geekboy pop-punk
singerdorks (You know, the ones that never leave their bedrooms and then have the audacity to sing about how they never get girls) moaning and
whimpering overtop of third-rate Ramones riffs, I'm actually relieved to hear a punchy post-Queers/Screeching Weasel pop-punk attack fronted by
Christy Darlington's nasally, off-pitch, "rough around the edges" bark. The guy's no crooner, but at least he sings with real BALLS. I'm really
growing to appreciate the style & sense of humor he brings to the table. Christy doesn't sound like some sniveling little wuss in need of a
serious beating...He sounds like a cool, unpretentious guy who'd be fun to hang out with. That's a big plus in my book.
It once seemed to me that Christy's songwriting skills were about as impressive as Carmen Elektra's acting talent, but this new release has proven
me wrong. The guy really CAN write a good song! Granted, he's not reinventing the wheel or anything. But if you go nuts for tuneful, light-hearted
three-chord pop-punk tunes, at least half the songs here will be totally up your alley. "Ocelots" rules (Is that guitar solo SUPPOSED to sound like
The Cure? Either way, it's a terrific tune), and "I Don't/Detached" is a yummy, poppy treat. And I LOVE "Lucky Girl", an irresistible Ramonesy pop
gem that rocks hard. Had I heard this tune when I was 24, I would have sworn it was the best song in the world.
All the Wrong Moves isn't the best pop-punk album I've ever heard, but it sure ain't the worst. The songs are mostly catchy (a hit-to-shit ratio
of 7 to 3 isn't so bad), and I'm impressed by the clean, crispy production & melodic lead guitar lines. This is a fun, engaging collection of
songs, and I just can't not like it. Those of you who enjoy going on pop-punk message boards & talking about how much pop-punk music sucks will
surely hate this disc. But if you're already big pop-punk fan, I guarantee that you'll like this CD. - Rutledge
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