Garrison - Be A Criminal

One of the first things I noticed about Garrison's Be A Criminal was that it was produced by J. Robbins of Burning Airlines, Jawbox, and DeSoto Records fame. This definetly bode well for the band as I popped the CD in and gave it the initial listen. My predictions for throbbing drumbeats, some in your face guitar parts and overall high energy couldn't have been more dead on. What made the album surpass my predictions was that the songs are both catchy and dark. The first track "Recognize An Oppurtunity" is a perfect example of how that dark songwriting and catchiness can work together into a nice little song package. The chorus of "I think I heard about it on the radio" will make you catch yourself singing along by the second time you listen. The same goes for "Dump The Body" and it's oh-so-catchy chorus of "I could point a finger, but I'd rather point a gun." Overall, this album feels like mid to late 90's band rockin the hardcore indie scene. The vocals are catchy but the lyrics are somewhat predictable and cheesy at times. "Focus, Focus, Focus" and "Don't Feel Bad" have a pop/rock sensibility that feels somewhat out of place with the rest of the album. That's where my 3 manstyle points come in. The album is listenable, even extremely catchy at times, but it doesn't have the staying power to make me reach for it a few years from now (or months). Fortunately, the band holds alot of promise and will be one to watch grow musically into a possible powerhouse of sound. [www.garrison-kills.com]