Matchbook Romance - Stories & Alibis [Bonus Track]

In an assertive full-length debut, Matchbook Romance deals out a strong hand and plays it well. The winning cards include expressive lyrics delivered most of the time by twin lead vocals, songs powered by a combination of sharp hooks and dramatic changes in dynamics, and a multi-layered production in which Brett Gurewitz allows plenty of room for the sound to chime, buzz, and roar over Aaron Stern's thundering drums. (Stern especially loves doing double bass drum fills, which sound the way a Muhammad Ali combination must have once felt.) They build their choruses and other peak moments around massive blasts of guitar anchored by basslines on the root of each chord for maximum impact. Read More