Avoid One Thing - Chopstick Bridge

The second offering from the band formed by the Mighty Mighty Bosstones bassis5 Joe Gittleman. Last time out the Bostonian wore pretty much all of the hats during and post recording, but this incarnation is much better, stronger and still with the bite and lyrical mayhem that Avoid One Thing offered up the first time around. This time the hook and attitude make this one of the best Punk albums you'll hear over the next while. This brings us back to the golden days of punk, but more on the heels of bands like The Clash for the simple reason these guys (and gal) can really play, and they have found a hook that will for sure draw many to their sound.

Some are bound to label this power-pop simply for the catchy hooks, but the masterful way the music has been arranged along with some of the most intelligent lyrics I've heard in the genre, I would ask that you listen a bit closer. This is some good stuff, and adding the guitar style and vocals of Amy Griffin formerly of the Boston rockabilly sensations the Raging Teens, and you have a winning combination. While listening it almost seems that Joe and Amy may have actually been twins separated at birth as they seem to know where the other is going before they even start.

A truly enjoyable CD that is filled with more hooks than gran'daddy's tackle box. Throwing everything they have as far as energy at you full force with an intelligent and bright sounding mix that is worth a listen. If I were a betting man, what the hell, yeah, I think you will be hearing much more of this band in the future, they may just be one of the surprise (to those who haven't heard them) hits of the year (2004 in case you forgot).

You may not be able to get enough of this, but that is ok as the music contained on this disk is not the fly by night flavor of the week you hear all the time. The real talent is in this band and for all who dare, the sound is here today and they are called Avoid One Thing. Chopstick Bridge contains some great tunes along the way including "Gone and Forgotten", the humorous Amy addition (short as it is) "Airplane",  " All That You've Heard", "Capital Letters" and the opening number of the CD "Armbands and Braids". Great job, thanks for daring to stand out!

  ( 5.5 Stars out of 6 )