All Time Low – “Dirty Work”

All Time Low’s major label debut, Dirty Work, may just be the one that pushes the band onto mainstream radio. The record is filled with catchy pop-punk choruses that will stay in your head for days. The first single “I Feel Like Dancing”, which was co-written by Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo, is undoubtedly a summer party anthem that will make you want to get on your feet and start moving.

For the most part, the album has a feel-good summer sound that makes me just want to put the CD in a boombox and bring it to a beach. Moreover, some songs such as “Under A Paper Moon” and “A Daydream Away” showcase a more mature side of the band, leaning towards a more in-depth musical composition rather than just following the basic pop-punk hit formula. The album ends with “Heroes”, which I think is record’s strongest song because it encompasses what a good pop-punk song should have: memorable choruses sung with a solid vocal performance, upbeat instrumentals, infectious riffs and meaningful, eloquently written lyrics.

As a long time All Time Low fan, I don’t necessarily think that the band has sold out with their poppier sound, but instead have moved in a more radio-friendly direction that will boost their career to new heights. With that being said, All Time Low may just gain the success that will spark them to become this teen-generation’s Blink 182 phenomenon.

Track Listing:

01. Do You Want Me (Dead?)
02. I Feel Like Dancin’
03. Forget About It
04. Guts (feat. Maja Ivarsson of The Sounds)
05. Time Bomb
06. Just the Way I’m Not
07. Under a Paper Moon
08. Return the Favor
09. No Idea
10. A Daydream Away
11. That Girl
12. Heroes

Run Time: 40:26
Release Date: June 7, 2011

Check out the song: “I Feel Like Dancin'”