Split Habit

Split Habit - Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

Too many times people want to put a band in a certain category or specific genre. What ever happened to rock and roll? The rock and roll that was safe from labels like "bubble gum punk" or "emo?" Well, rock has returned with Split Habit as the messiah.

Split Habit's Double Zero Records release, Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is has more hooks than a tackle box and it's more addictive than nicotine and caffeine combined. It's energetic, fun and even as I sit and write this review, I want get up and dance. The songs are honest and heartfelt and are full of poppy melodies and great starts and stops.

The album kicks off with a crescendo entrance to the pogo worthy track "Rebel," and holds it's energy all the way through to the last more melancholy track "Picture Frames." Really, Put Your Money Where Your Mouth is is a journey through rock and roll.

Travis Brown's vocals are high-pitched, strong and non-abrasive, but not whiny, bitchy or adolescent. He's got some of the vocal tones of a punk rocker combined with the serenade of Frank Sinatra.

Many of Split Habit's songs are about relationships and girls, yet on a track like "Rebel" the meaning of the lyrics like, "If I had one more day, to piss my life away, maybe then I'd be a rebel," are a tad mysterious. Yet, lyrics from "Ladykiller" like, "He thinks it's funny, he gets to tell you lies, to get between your thighs," are a little more blatant and in your face.

"City Girl" starts off slow and seemingly loving, but goes into an up tempo chorus full of oohhoohh's and grinding rock rhythms. It's also a track that showcases Brown's vocal capabilities. "One Hundred Dollar Guarantee" is basically about the music business and touring. It's got great punk drum riffs with poppy rock melodies and vocal pauses that seem to train along in a very addictive fashion.

One of the greatest things about Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is is the way it combines slower melodic vocals with heavy musical tones to carry a song from start to finish. In "Ladykiller" there are plenty of places to jump in unison after a pause when the instruments kick back into full gear.

Songs like "Ms. Vandersanden" and "Higher Mathematics" are straight balls-out rock songs that are choc-full of energy, while songs like "The Lies Within" and "Ladykiller" are more like anthems or ballads. And we can't forget Split Habit's awesome cover of Hall and Oates' "Maneater."

All I can say is "Wow." Few albums have tickled my taste buds as much as much as Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is. I give this album a 9 (out of 10), thinking maybe I should give it a 10. Each song has the potential to be a hit single. If you liked Lucky Boys Confusion's Commitment than you'll love Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is. Forget New Found Glory and Simple Plan; Split Habit is the new name of rock and roll and even that dreaded term, "pop-punk."

Suggested Listening: Just put the CD in your player and press play. The whole album is great!

For an interview with Split Habit click HERE!

By: Adam K. Zakroczymski III - Senior Editor / Founder

April 5, 2004