Website: Avenpitch
The Inside Pulse:
Hailing from the Twin Cities, one of the strongest music scenes in the United States, Avenpitch brings the local sounds of electropunk to the masses. Or, at the very least, super-indie distribution. Either way, the band has been touring vigilantly before the recording of and now in support of their second effort, Butterfly Radio. The resulting changes in their sound since their debut eponymous recording certainly reflect that experience.
As a sound, Butterfly Radio is a mix of approaches. Take it too seriously and you’ll miss the point of its bouncy simplicities; take it too lightly and you’ll miss some well-composed pop. The biggest challenge as a listener is cutting through some very tedious filler to find these gems.
Positives: Avenpitch creates a sound that you won’t hear every day, and that’s refreshing. “Jack the Idiot Dance” is clearly their strongest song to date, full of layered samples and an infectious synth line that’s irresistable. “Disposable Pop Song” is a hilarious tribute to garbage mainstream radio and addictively replayable.
Negatives: Halfway through the disc, patterns emerge: same synth patches, same tempos, and singer Todd Millenacker delivering his vocals in one monotonous pitch. With punk roots, there’s no need for Berklee-level musicianship — although there’s definitely talent here — but the band seems to have found a “sound” and steadfastly sticks to it regardless of the content and tone of the lyrics.
Crossbreed:
Good Charlotte stops whining and gets devoured by Atari Teenage Riot.
Reason to Buy:
You’re a modern-day punk/hardcore/emo fan whose curiosity is piqued. Otherwise, take it or leave it.
