Review - Don't You Fake It

Artist: The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Album: Don't You Fake It
Record Label: Virgin
Producer(s): David Bendeth
Release Date: July 18th, 2006
Genre: Rock/Punk/Screamo
Strong Points: Musical and lyrical direction push listeners towards getting up and doing something; some very impressive lyrical elements; strong grasp of what makes for a good release in the genre
Weak Points: Some sounds are very reminiscent of other bands; many lyrics are too ambiguous for their own good; too much harmonization
Technical Score: B
Artistic Score: C+
Final Score (not an average): B
Moral Warnings: Generally ambiguous lyrics tend to focus on pain but look towards hope; "d---" is used in the aptly titled "D--- Regret"; typically Christian terms are used in "Justify," but the meaning is unclear; "The Grim Goodbye," a bonus track, crosses into resignation and implies drunkenness


The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus is one of those bands that gained smash hit status thanks to a single that makes it big. The band's single that rocked many of the hit charts in America is "Face Down." That single appeared on their first major label release, Don't You Fake It. In turn, the album reached platinum status with over a million units sold in the U.S. With a punk- and screamo-infused rock sound, Don't You Fake It has made a rather strong entrance into the realm of major record label music.

And Red Jumpsuit Apparatus' sound is a very solid one. Though it is very no-frills as a rule, lacking layers upon layers of extra tracks and effects, the natural talent in Don't You Fake It can shine through clearly. With genre-fitting driving guitars at full distortion, solid drum and bass sections, and good vocal work in melody and harmony, the band makes it clear that they know how to manufacture a good sound.

The sound is not a perfect one, though. Some songs are musical standouts, but the instrumental aspects of many tracks simply seem to get the job done. The album is very vocally driven. The guitar riffs, chord patterns, and rhythm structures, on the album are not generally exceptional. However, they work just fine as canvas for the vocal work to paint its picture.

And the vocal work does standout well. Frontman Ronnie Winter's vocal tone is great. Emotion comes through loud and clear without ever crossing into too much angst or pain. His melodic composition is catchy and fits very well with the rest of the band. The downfall in the vocal work is that harmonization seems practically constant on most tracks. It's not so much that it sounds bad that's the problem so much as it moves a driven rock band into a more pop-like territory that doesn't seem to maximize the band's potential.

Add to this the screaming present on several of the tracks, and it sometimes seems like the band had a bit of an identity crisis while making the album. To further weaken the originality their sound, it's hard not to consider the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus to be very similar to a more mainstream-ready version of contemporary artists like Hawthorne Heights.

Still, in spite of these things, the songwriting heard on Don't You Fake It is good, and it shows a lot of potential from the band's upcoming sophomore release. When it's all said and done, every song on the album is memorable. Though it is more the vocal aspects than the instrumental aspects of the album, the lyrical aspect does play a significant role in what sets Don't You Fake It apart.

Lyrically, a lot of the songs manage to land in a realm of ambiguity; they are full of words that sound good, but the underlying meaning isn't all that easy to discern. Still, some lyrics come across as surprisingly profound. For example, "Face Down" shows a strong grasp of cause and effect: "A pebble in the water makes a ripple effect / Every action in this world bear a consequence" Other songs, like "Seventeen Ain't So Sweet" are more straightforward: "There's a fire in your eyes / And I hope you'll let it burn / There's a scream in your voice / And I hope you will be heard." Then, the album's closing song and ballad, "Your Guardian Angel," is nothing short of beautiful: "I will never let you fall / I'll stand up with you forever / I'll be there for you through it all / Even if saving you sends me to heaven"

In moral terms, the lyrics are largely ambiguous. For what it's worth, it is worth noting that all of the band members claim to be Christians in spite of their choosing not to be labeled as a Christian band. Still, worthy of note, many songs deal with pain; these songs usually look forward with hope, however. "D--- Regret" says "d---" on the chorus. The album's bonus track crosses into resignation and surrender to pressure. There are a couple of references to drinking, with the bonus track stating: "Try to stay righteous, try to stay sober / But then I can't win."

In all reality, the album won't likely knock your socks off. It's a solid first mainstream release, but it does not reach its potential. Still, the band has produced an album that is catchy and a lot of fun; musically and lyrically, listeners are challenged to get out of their seats. There are a few moral hiccups in the release. All the same, Don't You Fake It may be just the kind of pick-me-up needed on a figuratively rainy day.

-Kenny Yeager (kenny@revolve21.com)


Album highlights:
"Face Down"
"Your Guardian Angel"
"Misery Loves Its Company"
"Waiting"
"Justify"