Motion City Soundtrack is at it again with its fourth studio full-length album, My Dinosaur Life, the first released under its contract with Columbia Records. The band is set to embark on tour in support of the album with Set Your Goals, This Providence and The Swellers.
Songwriters in this genre have produced a plethora of tracks about new or lost love, and about getting over it. Motion City Soundtrack has composed 12 doses of catchy pop-punk goodness relating to completely starting over. The lyrics showcase lead singer Justin Pierre’s ability to move on from a now “extinct” past life. “The things that used to mean so much to me / Have gone the way of the dinosaurs / Hopes and dreams and everything / All I want is for you to be happy or something.” From the opening lines of the first track, Motion City Soundtrack makes no secrets about how hard it was to get to this point, 13 years after its inception.
Fans of the witty lyrics (see “like a slasher film, I’m torn in opposite directions, the plot sucks but the killings are gorgeous…” from “Pulp Fiction”), unique vocals and Moog synthesizer, which have made this band a darling of the genre during its tenure, will not be disappointed. All of the material is readily accessible for the rest of the general population to climb aboard the bandwagon. Within this packaging is an album that has the ability to break the stagnant trend that litters the mainstream rock charts, which have shown the want for something fun and catchy — as made example by pop-rock veterans Weezer.
Through four albums, this band has matured little by little to arrive at the present. Mark Hoppus has brought out the best in his second effort with the band, what could be considered a heavier version of their previous collaboration, 2005’s Commit This to Memory. The slight track-to-track musical and tempo variations are enough to keep things interesting while remaining true to something one would expect from this ever-evolving quintet. Each song has a section that will remind listeners of different bands, from Eve 6 to Paramore, but still remain a piece of Motion City Soundtrack history.
“It’s been a good year, a good new beginning / I’m through with the old school so let’s commence the winning.” Fans can only hope that these sentiments on opening track “Worker Bee” ring true and Motion City Soundtrack’s amalgamation of pop, punk and rock breaks into and takes over the mainstream.
My Dinosaur Life drops on Jan. 19. The full album stream is available on Myspace and can be preordered for under $8 on iTunes. (4.5 / 5)
