Sprung Monkey

Get a Taste (2001)

Eddie

The pop-punk rockers Sprung Monkey's latest CD, "Get a Taste," sounds a little like other pop-punk bands, but at other times they've got a very original and varying sound. The same goes for each individual songs. I found that I either really loved a song, or really hated it.

For example, songs like their radio hit, "What's That You Say," "Beautiful," "American Made," "Unexpected," "Lucy," "Look My Way," and "Shut Up" are all excellent songs. The guitars sound great (especially in "Unexpected" and "Shut Up"), the lyrics are catchy, and they're overall the best songs on the CD.

But I really didn't like the songs, "Get a Taste," "Party Like a Rock Star," "Whatcha Gonna Do," and "Laughing." Some of them are way too poppy ("Party Like a Rock Star"), and some are slow, simple, and generic ("Watcha Gonna Do").

And as I said before, they really do a lot of creative and original things with their music. Like using turntables in one song, and short little sound effects in others. They also have very upbeat "happy" songs like lots of pop-punk bands, but then they also have songs that are much darker, like "American Made."

Overall, Sprung Monkey has a great variety of different sounds. Everything from pop to straight punk rock. But they also pretty much have an equal amount of bad and amazing songs. And as far as the amazing songs go, they have great lyrics/vocals, the guitars sound great, and the choruses are incredibly catchy. The best example of all this is the song "Unexpected," which I think is the best song on the CD.

And if you really like Sprung Monkey's radio song, "What's That You Say," then you'll probably like the whole CD.