August Premier
's debut album shows them doing what every other Midwest
pop
-
punk
band has done: sound a lot like their West Coast counterparts. Whether it's the harmonies, the "woaahhh!"s, or the bubbly guitar parts with the oodles of hooks -- it's all there on
Fireworks and Alcohol
. Unfortunately, that means little originality or excitement for those not interested in the
genre. Most people could do just as well listening to
blink-182
or
the Alkaline Trio
, since that seems to be where the band is drawing a lot of its influence (especially with the latter). Thankfully, all the members seem talented and capable at handling their respective instruments, so it's just the overindulgence in
and the lack of creativity that will inevitably drive the listener to boredom. ~ Kurt Morris