Motion City Soundtrack - My Dinosaur Life
Rating
RIYL
Say AnythingThe Matches
Cartel
Release Date
01/19/2010
Label
ColumbiaTracklist
1. Worker Bee2. A Lifeless Ordinary (Need a Little Help)
3. Her Words Destroyed My Planet
4. Disappear
5. Delirium
6. History Lesson
7. Stand Too Close
8. Pulp Fiction
9. @!#?@!
10. Hysteria
11. Skin and Bones
12. The Weakends
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The trail for Motion City Soundtrack has not always been easy. With each release they’ve been lauded as the “next big thing” in the pop punk arena, but they consistently fall a little short of becoming that. They’ve certainly grown more in popularity throughout the years, but they’ve yet to receive the acknowledgment they deserve. Their synth pop harmonies suffused with their witty and nerdtastic lyrics are the perfect recipe for radio play, but they’ve always failed to make an impact. My Dinosaur Life, their fourth full-length album and Columbia Records debut, may be just what it takes for Motion City Soundtrack to gain that coveted “next big thing” title they’ve been promised so many times.
Personal issues aside, one of the biggest dilemmas Motion City Soundtrack has had to face was the lukewarm reception of Even if it Kills Me, their third full-length. Its toned down sound and poppier-than-usual tracks didn’t sit well with a good portion of their fans. Even with that on their plate, they pressed forward and gave us My Dinosaur Life; easily the most cohesive, instantly-accessible album of their career. They maintained the pop prevalence of Even if it Kills Me, and synthesized (pun intended) it with the intensity of their previous work. Tracks like “Disappear” and “Her Words Destroyed My Planet” serve as excellent singles and displays of the potential MCS has, but the strength of this album lies in its entirety; which is something fairly rare in the genre of pop punk. There are standout tracks such as “Stand Too Close” and the keyboard-drenched “Pulp Fiction”, but the most notable aspect of this album lies in the way they were able to wrap so many elements together so damned well.
Justin Pierre, singer and guitarist of the band, has sharpened his craft immensely. His vocals have always been consistently excellent, but with My Dinosaur Life we find him experimenting with them a bit more and pulling it off exceedingly well. Fans and critics alike complain that MCS have lessened their reliance on the synth so prevalent in their debut, and that sentiment still rings somewhat true. It’s the main instrument on the aforementioned song “Pulp Fiction”, but ultimately takes a backseat as more of a textural instrument throughout most of the album.
It’s not often you see a band make the leap to a major label and release an album that looks to win the masses as well as satiate the fans who have been with them since the beginning. What’s even rarer is to see a band attempt this and succeed. MCS were in a position to release a hook-laden album that served as mere fodder for the radio waves, but instead they stuck to their guns and pushed themselves to craft what is easily their most refined album to date. Whether a curious outsider or disfranchised fan, this album will make you a believer.
--Dant Rambo
Comments
California
i need to check this out more, they always almost get me to listen to them. guess if this is their most mainstream maybe it'll be the most accessible.
I'm not sure if I just grew out of these guys or if they just lost the magic from the first album, but being a fan of first album and sorta the second... the last one and this one just bore me... I find myself never really wanting to go back for a second listen... not even a little. Makes me sad.
"These are our lives, but did they ever even matter - are we worth remembering?"
- "Tip The Scales"
Rise Against
Leeds, England
I'm a fan of this band, but this is just weaksauce. Where's all the synths gone? I can barely hear any at all.
amen rich!
"These are our lives, but did they ever even matter - are we worth remembering?"
- "Tip The Scales"
Rise Against
Washington, DC
MCS always has the problem of having the first few songs on their albums being great, and then the rest being filler. This album is no exception.
And I agree - needs more synth.
"Standing still is where we've gone wrong" - The dingees
Nazareth, Pennsylvania
Boring.
"(Hoo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo!) Alright alright alright! (Hoo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo!) Ah, ah, ah, ah! (Hoo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo!) Alright alright alright! (Hoo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo!) Ah, ah, ah, ah!"
Fort Bragg, CA
I am still incredibly into this album. The acoustic versions you get with the deluxe edition are excellent as well. I also think "Pulp Fiction" is the best song they have ever written. Boo-yah!
Somewhere in New York
Even the first album for me has grown stale. I think my tastes have evolved into something different, but in the same vein as this music. This band, in my opinion, haven't really furthered themselves.
"If someone gives you a kazoo and toots around the house to MTV, they're not gonna fuck you." - David Cross
San Jose, CA
Terrible lyrics but super catchy music still = decent album
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Illinoise
it's catchy, and i like it. it's no "i am the movie" or "commit this to memory", but i'm listening to it more than i did their last album.
anyone else think some of the songs sound like weezer almost?
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Leeds, England
Yeah, in as much both bands' music is now lame.
Dubuque
I still need to listen to this album. From the song I heard, it didn't sound too bad.
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Fort Bragg, CA
It's excellent. I'm still listening to it a few times a day, honestly. Early contender for my album of the year.
San Luis Obispo, CA
i get the feeling the new Four Year Strong album is going to be pretty high up on my list when 2010 comes to an end.
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Illinoise
agreed.
but this album and wonder years are already pretty high up there for me. i guess we still have 11 months though.
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Dubuque
Finally got around to listening to this. I can't put my finger on it, but not liking it.
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