An Offer You Can’t Refuse is just that. Take everything you love about Taking Back Sunday, Senses Fail and Hawthorne Heights, add some melancholy licks to the mixture and that’s A Change of Pace. It’s not often that an album can grab my attention in the first 30 seconds, but this one did.
A Change of Pace doesn’t rely on simple vocal harmonies or even basic musical textures. On a song like “Death Do Us Part,” the core melody is powerful, complete with short starts and stops that act as a powerful foundation for the vocals that seem to mirror the ferocity of the instruments.
“Asleep at the Wheel” combines emotional croons with bludgeoning screams and heavy hitting double bass drums to drive this hard hitting yet melodic track home. One thing is for sure, these boys have hardcore roots, but know how to package it to the masses with enough musical hooks to keep fans dancing as much as they’re moshing. Some might see A Change of Pace as just another Senses Fail. They sure share a similar sound, and perhaps this genre may be the new “pop-punk” craze. I wouldn’t mind hearing stuff like this for a while.
A Change of Pace are able to shift from grinding punk drums and emo croons on “Every Second” to an anthem-like wail on “December,” then right back into throat shredding vocals on “Know One Knows.” This album does do some sound shifting, but even the sung, less hardcore songs are powerful and respectable.
An Offer You Can Refuse was produced by Michael “Elvis” Baskette (Incubus, Chevelle) and will be released in March of 2005 on Immortal Records. I give An Offer You Can’t Refuse an 8 (out of 10). For fans of A Static Lullaby and Boys Night Out, have A Change of Pace. You won’t be disappointed.
Suggested Listening: “Loose Lips Sink Ships,” “A Farewell to A Friendship,” “Death Do Us Part” and “Chippie”
By: Adam K. Zakroczymski III – Senior Editor / Founder
December, 2004
