Review of Good Views, Bad News Album by Broadway Calls

Review of Broadway Calls album Good Views, Bad News

Broadway Calls Good Views, Bad News Album

Formed in 2005, this Oregon punk band now releases their second album. They've spent the summer on the famed Warped Tour in America and will be supporting The Offspring on their European dates, as well as making an appearance at Leeds/Reading Festival.

A quick glance at the pages of the punk press indicate that some critics are falling over themselves in praise of 'Good Views, Bad News', but if this is the amongst the best that 2009's punk-rock has to offer then it is going to be a very dour year. Beginning with 'Midnight Hour' the record is just over 30 minutes of unspectacular riffing with very little imagination - not that anything sounds bad, but nothing is anywhere near gripping. You can hear the influences of Green Day and Alkaline Trio through songs such as 'To The Sheets' and 'Election Night', but those established acts are at least more ambitious in their output. The only cut from 'Good Views, Bad News' which hooks you in for repeated listens is 'Tonight Is Alive', which has a speeded up version of Primal Scream's 'Rocks' drum intro before moulding in a rhythm section that encourages a bit of a boogy. Aside from this, everything else is distinctly average.

Alex Lai


Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/broadwaycalls

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