By Josh LaVoie
Don’t let it be said that time doesn’t heal all wounds. It took over three years for All Systems Go to recover from the departure of songwriter and original bassist Frank. Field testing and experimentation were the events of the day as the band strove to find a replacement bassist who did more than just fit in. Years of hard work and searching allowed the group to produce an eclectic mix of indie rock and pop punk in their latest album Mon Chi Chi.
With tracks ranging from poppy and radio-friendly to ballads that sound like they belong on an Appleseed Cast album, the disc is quite varied despite being dominated by pop punk influences. Even in this seemingly limited genre the band manages to show exceptional talent, piecing together tracks that are melodically strong and catchy enough to get virtually anyone attempting to sing along on the first run through.
Including 12 bonus tracks and at a retail price of about $10, this album is definitely worth a listen. It may not be groundbreaking, but it illustrates there is still life in a genre that seems to grow more stagnant by the day.