When It Was As Good as Pillow Talk - Round Circle Records Compilation

Review by: Jennifer Perkins

I am going to make a bold and sweeping statement about this CD, as they say, no guts no glory….Almost every single song on this CD sounds exactly the same. It was hard for me to tell it was a comp at times rather than a CD by one band. All but one of the bands is fronted with male vocals, every band but Silver Scooter sounds like they are from the Midwest or at least listen to every Emo thing that has come out of there, and there was enough power chords to last me a life time. The CD is not unbearable, mediocre is a better term, there are just no stand out songs that really grabbed my attention after repeat listens.

The more well known bands on this comp, are probably more well known for a reason. Mock Orange, The Stereo, Paris @2AM, Silver Scooter. I really liked the Silver Scooter song, "Morning View" quiet a bit. Reminded me of the Drop 19s. It was all clear to me after hearing Mock Orange's "She Runs the Ride" why they are opening for Hey Mercedes.

Other songs worth mentioning were Sometimes Seven "Apple of My Eye". Palomar Sky Survey was a nice change up with female vocals. Turkish Taffey had a unique twist with the vocalist having one of the scratchiest voices since Eric Bachmann. Triple Fast Action and Acrobat Down were both notable. Sunday Flood tricked me at the start of their song with some Polvo-esqe angularity in the guitar work, but then they started right in were the band before on the CD had left off and the one after picked up. After awhile it all just starts to blend together.

After years now of hearing bands re-hash that 90's Emo sound it's hard to differentiate. Sure there are a few good songs on this disc, as a matter of fact I wouldn't call any of the songs bad. However, I did not walk away from this CD with a favorite song or even excited about getting exposed to a new band and isn't that what comps are all about.

Read a review of The Falling 7" here.