The Starting Line – Based On A True Story

There’s no denying the fact that I’m a fan of The Starting Line. Almost any pop-punk fan is. Their songs are, albeit not spectacular, enjoyable. I’ve seen them live and was quite happy, and I even caught their drumstick at the show. When I hear them on a compilation, I wouldn’t skip over them, I’d pay attention and listen. So it’s safe to say that I’m a fan of The Starting Line, so when everyone starting making the fuss about Based On A True Story, I was intrigued. However, after hearing the album, I can’t quite see where all the fuss is coming from.

There’s no doubt in my mind, or anyone else’s mind for that matter, that Kenny Vasoli and the rest of The Starting Line know how to craft a solid pop-punk melody that is capable of making any pop-punk fan feel weak at the knees. These thirteen tracks on Based On A True Story (well, twelve when you take away the introduction) simply emphasize that fact, nevertheless, it’s still just pop-punk.

The album tackles many subjects and has various takes on tempo and tones. There’s the catchy and upbeat single with the shocking chorus about sex (“I’m gonna tear your ass up like we’ve just got married, and you’re all mine now“) with Bedroom Talk. The heavier opener of Making Love To The Camera talking about posing with strangers as the slower Surprise, Surprise talks about the dissolving of friendships. Not to mention the six minute dreamy ballad of Photography. Even with all these differences, unless you’re paying complete and utter attention to the music at hand, all the songs tend to melt into one. Every once in a while they’ll be a song or chorus, like The World or Ready, which will snap you back to life while the rest just floats by.

The Starting Line have created a good pop-punk album, which will be easily accessible for the ever growing MTV generation. But there’s nothing outstanding about it. It has some catchy moments, and some standout moments, but most of it just runs together. Really, if this CD was done by anyone other than this quartet from the city of brotherly love, then it would just be skipped over as a pop-punk wannabe. Still good, but just not worth all of the fuss.