Posted on: January 9, 2009 Posted by: Jay NeuFutur Comments: 0

“Print is Dead” can’t start any better, with “International Gamers Committee” bordering between a Blink 182 and Good Charlotte influence, at times taking the mantle so convincingly from the former act that it is hard to discern which band is playing the track. Rick’s vocals are more nasal than Tom DeLonge’s (Blink 182), but are backed by a very solid (if not a little simplistic) set of guitars, as well as a bass line that is as intricate as anything that Matt Freeman could play (Pink Eye). What really pulls Amazing Transparent Man out of the billions of band that both successfully and utterly fail at the Blink/pop-punk style would be their ability to experiment with time signatures and multiple harmonies, coming most into play with “Submission”. Coming back to the wellspring that provides them the most musical fodder, “So When Did Everybody..” firmly plants themselves in the pop-punk tradition, with Rick’s vocals coming off like a SR-71 or “Man Overboard” feel. The lyrics on this track are so divergent from the upbeat-sounding that it goes to a place that is beyond absurd – example: “God is love, Love is dumb, I am dumb, so I am god”.

“The Thought Police” comes to the plate with all the potential of the rest of “Print is Dead”, but falls flat as the band can’t find a hook that properly ensnares the listeners. Even the promise of a crooning chorus and a spicy guitar solo can’t help this track from sinking southward. “Into Your Heart” almost reaches at the minds of the listeners, with Rick pushing the lyrics out in a sing-songy way. The lyrics sound fine, but are lacking a back-up set or second set of vocals to continue the sing-songy nature of the track .

Amazing Transparent Man starts “Print is Dead” with some strong tracks, but as the disc spins on, it becomes harder with each passing song to find the next “International Games Committee” or “Since When Did Everyone…”. While the second half of the CD does not suffer from a lack of motivation, the dice roll just does not come out in the favor of the band. “Shove” strives for the high level found on the first half of the CD, and Ryan’s aural sneer actually makes it seem like ey has something invested in the track, instead of just reading lyrics off of a sheet of paper.

Top Tracks: International Gamers Committee, Since When Did Everyone in a Band Become Such A Hair Farmer

Rating : 6.3/10

Amazing Transparent Man – Print is Dead / 2004 Double Zero / 11 Tracks / http://www.a-t-m.com / http://www.doublezerorecords.com /

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