Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 04/16/2002
Midtown's second album and major label debut
Living Well Is the Best Revenge picks up more or less where
Save the World, Lose the Girl left off, delivering plenty of revved-up, melodic
punk-pop. Until the
garage rock revival took off, this type of
rock seemed to be the only alternative to
nu-metal for anyone looking for guitar-driven music.
Punk-pop just doesn't
sound quite as fresh as it did in the late '90s, and
Living Well Is the Best Revenge's major label sheen adds to the album's slightly dated, constrained sound. However, as far as
punk-pop goes, this is an expertly put together collection of songs; tracks like
"Become What You Hate," "Get It Together," and
"Like a Movie" mix appealingly big, crunchy riffs, close harmonies, and catchy hooks, and the group stretches their range a bit with the
ballad "Perfect" and the slightly more aggressive
"A Faulty Foundation." Punk-pop diehards will find a lot to like on
Living Well Is the Best Revenge, but fans of more adventurous
rock might want to look elsewhere.
~Heather Phares, All Music Guide