The Lawrence Arms

The Greatest Story Ever Told (Fat)
by Lauren Bussard

Um, The Greatest Story Ever Told? I don’t know about that… Maybe just an okay story. With this album, their second release on Fat, The Lawrence Arms mostly deliver way too many mediocre punk-rock/screamo songs, which would best be used as background music at one of those really hip parties that you’re not invited to. The other few songs on the album – which I really like – are sung by their other vocalist, Chris (yes, having dual vocalists is now as popular as starting your band name with “the”) and he’s awesome, especially on “Fireflies,” my personal favorite.

See, the problem is that normally, I’m a fan of dual vocalists, but not when their styles are so completely opposite that they sound crappy singing together, so instead, they just switch off and sing songs separately. What they should do, in my opinion, is just break up into two different bands. Brendan’s will suck and Chris’ will rule.
(PO Box 193690 San Francisco, CA 94119)