A

Vs. Monkey Kong (2000)

ChrisGorman2

If you were luckier then I was, you may have caught A on tour with The Bloodhound Gang and Goldfinger. A are a unique band, to say the least. Like many musical hybrids these days, it is nearly impossible to catagorize this band. Some of their songs seem more towards the pop-punk end of things, while others run the gamut from straight up alternative rock to near-thrash. Perhaps the best way to catagorize them is to say they are simply a rock band, pure and simple. A couple of their videos have made it into the MTV2 rotation, but the response has been apathetic. The songs, "Monkey Kong" and "Old Folks" are two of the highlights on this CD that varies from spectacular to mundane. The aforementioned songs, along with "Summer on the Underground", "Don't be Punks", and "Miles Away" are keepers. Other songs, like "A", "For Starters", and "Jason's Addiction" are simpy clutter, bad songs that do nothing to help this album. So basically, this album is a crap-shoot. I got it for free, so I don't feel cheated. If you like summery, diverse rock music, then I suggest this CD. This album would probably sound great live on stage, as the energy is practically dripping out off this CD. A show a lot of potential on "Monkey Kong", and I am hoping that their follow up effort can surpass this CD