Relient K

Two Lefts Don't Make a Right... But Three Do (2003)

Katie

To be completely honest, when I first heard this album, I was not sold. I immediately labeled it as another pop punk band, trying to fit the formula and hope to catch on and make it big. But the more and more I listened to "Two Lefts Don't Make a Right . . . but three do" the more I began to like it.

This CD grew on me. I would easily label Relient K's sound as typical pop punk. But there are certain aspects of their music that set them apart. First the lead singer's voice has a different sound to it. It is a youthful voice that is pure, and sounds pretty professional at the same time. Secondly, I was also impressed by the lyrics. At a first listen I did not take the time to hear what the music was saying. But after several play-throughs and reading the lyrics, it was easy to see that these were not quickly thrown together songs. They had clever and funny lyrics that were humorous poking fun at a lot of cliché teenage experiences.

As for the actual instrumental sound, this disc consists mainly of complimentary guitar chords played on top of each other. The bass is not especially noticeable, but the drums are crisp and sound good. Although they have not technically perfected their sound, they are quickly stepping in the right direction.

If you can handle the pop punk sound, don't miss these guys. Give this CD a chance, and don't just take it for the surface sound. Their humorous lyrics remind me of a younger version of Piebald, with a slightly different sound. This is Relient K's sixth release on Gotee records. Their persistence is shown through their long list of albums and ep's. If you are up to it, give these guys a chance, and they tour quite often so check to see when they are coming to your town.