Saturday, April 23, 2011

FM Static "Critically Ashamed".....2 out of 4 ain't bad!

"Critically Ashamed" is the sophomore effort released in 2006 from FM Static. It is also my least favorite album from FM Static, but it definitely is not awful! Let's get to the review!


"Critically Ashamed" begins with a cute intro track that has Trevor's niece wishing him well on his next gig, and that track leads into "Flop Culture" which is a fun punk song in which Trevor laments the state of music in this decade. It really doesn't have much meaning, but is one of those fun songs.

"Six Candles" is one of the slower songs on the album, which is a welcome addition because FM Static's first cd didn't have any slow songs at all! "Six Candles" is a beautiful song about trusting in God whenever people say He's not real. This is one of the best songs on the album. "The Next Big Thing" is exactly what the song is about. Definitely a punk anthem, "The Next Big Thing" is about breaking into the music industry, but using your fame to make a difference, and is a fun listen.

Almost halfway through the album, "America's Next Freak" is all about standing up to those who put us down, finding ourselves in music, and name drops pretty much every artist in the music industry! It's an alright song, but not a favorite. The music seems a little average also. "Tonight" follows, and was a pretty popular track off the cd. I found out it is actually a song about Trevor McNevan's brother who passed away when they were children. "Tonight" is a very beautifully done track.

"The Video Store" carries some synth and punk riffs, and is a song about meeting a girl at a video store. I find songs like this a bit silly, but FM Static has a reputation for being fun and crazy! I really like the music in this song though. Another song about girls is "Girl Of The Year". It's ok. Probably my least favorite on the album. "Nice Piece Of Art" is a good song about how we have all been made unique by God. I like this song a lot, but I find the repeating "art, art, art, art, art" takes away from the song.

Next we have "What It Feels Like" and I like the opening with the drum rolls very much. It's something that stands out on the album. I'll admit I laughed at the lyric that said, "don't try to page me". Haha. It's a good song with good lyrics. Trevor speaks of knowing what it feels like to be on the outside, and is one of my favorites off the album. "Waste Of Time" is a bit formulaic in the music, but the lyrics take it far.

Finally, the last track is "Moment Of Truth". The track is about Trevor's moment of truth, realizing he loved a girl. It's ok. As I have said in the past, I'm really not a love song fan. It closes the album well, however.

"Critically Ashamed" is a decent album, but in my opinion, not the best one they have ever put out. If you are new to FM Static I would recommend "Dear Diary" or 'What Are You Waiting For" to start out with.

Overall rating: 3/5 stars.

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