Manchester Punk Festival Releases 38th Compilation
Manchester Punk Festival have released the 38th volume of their compilation series ahead of this year’s festival. Manchester Punk Festival Vol. 38 is…
Self Titled - Capitol Records
Runner Runner found their way into the punk news story line because it features Over It’s Nick Bailey. Over It were a band that began making a name for themselves around 2003-2005 with a few solid releases on Lobster Records and Virgin Records before fading away and going their separate ways. The connection was enough to spike some people’s interest into Runner Runner but really other than that, there isn’t anything else worth mentioning when talking about Runner Runner’s Self-Titled debut.
This is a pop record first and foremost. That is it and that is all. Runner Runner are a pop band, like Ten Second Epic, Mariana’s Trench, Call The Cops or countless other nameless faces. They sound like a poppier, more polished version of the newer Plain White T’s or maybe some All Time Low; hell, I could even say they sound like The Jonas Brothers but really I don’t think I would recognize aJonas Brothers song if I heard it so I’m not sure if that comparison is completely accurate.
No matter the comparisons or similarities, the fact of the matter is Runner Runner is a pop band perfectly designed for the tween generation. It’s high pitch, crystal clean harmonies with some catchy hooks and nonsense choruses that all revolve around love, girls and relationships. Hell, maybe LFO could be an appropriate comparison
A few songs, like Hate The Way, Life After You or Hey Alli, have some toe-tapping moments. It’s catchy and energetic, with – I’ll admit – a few nice turn of phrases. It gets under your skin because it’s a pop song and a well written one at that. But that song, and every other one on the album, has no staying power. They’re unremarkable and a nameless face in the pop world that may be able to get fifteen minutes of fame if their single is played on The Hills or something; baring something like that, Runner Runner are just a band that will soon fade into oblivion and be completely forgotten about.
In all honesty, I’ll be surprised if Runner Runner makes it to a sophomore album. There’s nothing here, no substance and nothing memorable about it. Pop purists may enjoy it; but if it wasn’t for Bailey’s involvement I doubt anyone in this scene would ever have heard about Runner Runner, let alone bothered to actually listen to them.
Pass on this one.