Published on Dec 3, 2004
The term “power pop” has gotten a bad rap over the years. Some
people just insist on seeing it as a negative thing when a guitar
band balances fat riffs and scorching solos with an ear for melody
and choruses that stick in your head.
Personally, I’ve never understood that kind of thinking…
and neither has Four Star Riot. This Tampa, Florida quartet’s
twin-guitar attack harnesses throbbing rock and roll energy to
craftsmanlike pop structure and produces all kinds of sparks on
Tonight & Tomorrow.
Take the track “Tell Me Tomorrow” — it may have a sing-along
chorus right out of a 1981 Journey single, but Mike Chilton’s
thrashing drums and Steve Alex’s desperate wail of a lead vocal
give the song an appealing edge. Rounding out FSR’s tight, potent
lineup are Johnny Deliz on bass and Finn Walling (who also recorded
and mixed this disc) on guitar and vocals.
On the terrific “Punchdrunk,” they mix a Gin Blossoms-y chorus
full of turbo-charged guitar with turned-down, almost reggae
verses, building steadily to a furious finish. “Ready &
Waiting” has the same kind of combustibility, easing off on the
verses before exploding into the choruses. On the softer side are
the nicely building (let’s not call them power ballads, ‘kay?)
mid-tempo tracks “They All Want U” and “Beautiful Soul.”
The disc does peter out a bit in the fourth quarter — “Love
Counterfeit” and “There It Goes” burn brightly on the musical end
but suffer from forgettable lyrics. Fortunately, the disc finishes
on an up note with the appealing “Golden Age,” another
steady-building number.
Tonight & Tomorrow is Four Star Riot’s third
self-released disc. The band has been hailed by local radio and
national music magazines and played a showcase at this year’s South
By Southwest convention. They’re on the cusp, in other words; they
just need that one big break. This disc of high-energy power pop
will surely help their case.
[Editor’s Note: Tonight & Tomorrow
is available online for the extremely reasonable price of just
$6.99 if you visit the band at
www.fourstarriot.com]