Nothing Personal Review

Released: Jul 7, 2009
Genre: Pop Punk
Label: Hopeless
Number Of Tracks: 12
It's a repeat of their past works but with a more positive attitude. This album is a fun, up-beat karaoke sing-fest.

Sound:	8
Lyrics:	7.8
Impression:	7.8
Overall rating:	7.9
Users rating:	7.8
Comments:	22

Featured review by: unregistered, on july 09, 2009

Sound: I remember when I heard their first single for this album on their myspace, "Weightless". It was so odd to hear it at the beginning, but then it got that heavy feel I'm used to hearing from them. I think hearing that song got me ready for the rest of the album when it was finally released. I believe it's good that they moved away from the 'wildest' side that they had in So Wrong, It's Right, and moved on back to things that could be well thought out, almost like their debut album The Party Scene was. But, like always, their sound always catches me for a loop and gets me into their music, regardless if it's wild or just well thought out and structured to how they want it. // 8

Lyrics and Singing: The lyrics from the previous album they released were 'o.k.' Enough said, this album actually shows they tried just a little bit more on writing. The singer did well in emphasizing some of the lyrics to fit the overall sound of the song itself. The lyrics are catchy, just like any of their other songs, but I didn't feel in tune with it as much as I did with The Party Scene. I'm not sure why, it's kind of hard to explain. I think what I can say is that "Damned if I do ya, damned if I don't" and "There's a party at the end of the world" doesn't really appeal to me, maybe they could've used something else or just dropped the songs. As long as they're happy with it though, that's fine, but the listeners have to like it too, which I didn't. // 7

Impression: Overall, it was a decent album. I find myself listening to it at least twice a day at different points in the day, morning and night. It feels motivational, it has a good atmosphere. I believe that they could've tried a little bit more on their sound and lyrics, but all in all, they did good enough to keep me liking the album for what it is. There really isn't much else to say. It wasn't diappointing, it wasn't extraordinary, it was right in the middle. // 8

overall: 8.3

Reviewed by: bloodred16, on july 14, 2009

Sound: Since 2007's So Wrong, It's Right, All Time Low have progressed with their sound. They still have that pop-punk vide which keeps you smiling from ear to ear and makes you want to jump around, but there's also an added sense of maturity to it. Nothing Personal, in this sense, is a step forward for the band. They've managed to progress and bring out a different record to it's predecessor, whilst still keeping their roots.

The album itself is very polished and sounds like it's been made to fit in with mainstream pop-punk, like that of The All-American Rejects and Fall Out Boy. It works as well, they've brought in new components like strings, programmed drums, and "Daft Punk" style vocals. It's been done in such a way that it doesn't overpower the albums sound, but gives it a bit more flavor.

This flavor is showcased very well in the song "Too Much". It brings plenty of new elements with the "Daft Punk" styled vocals, programmed drums and synths. It gradually builds up to introducing the entire band and it's transitioned well. However I do find it a weak link on the album, it's a good song and does work well with the album, but it feels like it's holding the album back.

With "Therapy" they do what "Too Much" does in being a slower paced song, yet it's stripped of all the new elements, and works better for it. It's a nice, gentle end to a great piece of work. // 9

Lyrics and Singing: Catchy and easy to remember pretty much sum up the lyrics. There are a few cliched "oh-oh"'s here and there, but they tie in well and don't feel over used. The vocals themselves have been produced to sound flawless, you can't nit pick at them because there's nothing wrong with them and all backing tracks flow well both with the songs and the lead vocals themselves. // 8

Impression: Overall this album is a step in the right direction for the band, I wouldn't say it's better than So Wrong, It's Right, but I will say that the next album should be a killer. I look forward to a few years down the line and seeing it's appearance. Stand out tracks are "Weightless", "Break Your Little Heart", "Sick Little Games" and "A Party Song".

The first single off the album - "Weightless" - has an interesting start and wastes no time in introducing the programmed drums before kicking in and becoming unforgettable. It carries that All-American Rejects sound and it's pulled off well.

Altogether it's the sort of album which could stay stuck on your CD player for days and not get boring. Wind the windows down in your car and play it loud, 'cause it deserves it. Having listened through the album 5 times over I gotta say, it gets better with every play, so if you're not so sure the first time, give it another try. // 8

overall: 8

Reviewed by: mallen i am, on july 08, 2009

Sound: I'm quite new to All Time Low, only getting So Wrong, It's Right a few days ago. Needless to say, I thought that was an excellent album, so I decided to purchase Nothing Personal, which conveniently came out only a few days after I first dipped my feet into the All Time Low pool. My first impression of this album was positive, with the first 6 songs grabbing themselves a 5 star rating on my iTunes. I'm not totally sure what I liked about the songs. Maybe it was the fun, catchy, pop punk guitars, or the lyrics that seemed to dance around various tales of love and loss, as well as other topics. After those 6 songs though, my interest cooled slightly, as synth was introduced to the mix, a sound which I personally feel did not fit the rest of the album. The exception was Hello Brooklyn, which did not heavily contain synth. I will explain my dislike of this song in the Lyrics section. However, when the album reaches song 10, the guitar riff grabs me from the start, in a kind of way that, despite it not being challenging, it just creates a classic pop punk "epicness", for lack of a better word to describe 4-chord fun. From thereonin to the end of the album, it is again very good. // 8

Lyrics and Singing: My hatred of the song Hello Brooklyn was very strong after hearing it. The fact being that, at the end of the chorus, the line "Everybody knows that there's a party at the end of the world" just seemed cheesy and cliché. I didn't understand why a song with lines like that managed to make the album, when the lyrics everywhere else appear to be well thought out. Also at the end of that song the lead singer reels off names of random cities from every corner of the world, sounding a bit like a Eurovision caller. This song really failed to impress me, and brought down the album somewhat in my mind. Apart from that though, it was impressive lyrically. There were few childish lines, few cliché lines, which kept the album fresh to listen to throughout. // 8

Impression: Compared to So Wrong, It's Right, this album is not as good, but when you reach your third album you can't expect to retain the spunky freshness of your other releases. There isn't that much new to offer if I'm honest, just the same formula that's been followed in previous albums, which has always worked for me. I would rebuy this album if I lost it, but only if I had a few quid spare. I wouldn't say its flaws bring it down too much, and overall provides a good listen all the way through. Fans of pop-punk music, possibly looking to fill a void until blink release something new (as I am), would probably enjoy this album. My personal favourites are Break Your Little Heart and Keep the Change, You Filthy Animal. // 8

overall: 7.3

Reviewed by: Bair, on july 08, 2009

Sound: Since this is another pop punk/ emo band the guitars and drums aren't expected to be too complicated and they're not, but they're catchy and thats the goal. There's a fair bit of synthesizers used throughout the album but they compliment the lyrical content. It's a little lighter than their past records but I'm guessing they were going for a more up-beat sing along type of feel. All in all, there really isn't anything new here, another bunch of songs that sound the same but since they all serve their purpose (putting a smile on someone's face) they all sound awesome. // 7

Lyrics and Singing: Again, nothing different from most bands. They seem to have shifted their focus from angry, complaining lyrics about past love and depression to alcohol abuse and partying which is more up my alley. There's still a fair bit of references to girlfriends and break ups but from a different point of view. They speak of them with a "I don't care, I'm gonna get drunk" attitude. They use more profanity on this album than any of their others, but it still melds well with the lyrics subject matter and ideas in each song. I understand now why the songs "Weightless" and "Damned If I Do Ya" were released as singles since they're the two best. // 8

Impression: There's a reason why this review is so short, it's because there's not much to say about this album. It's a repeat of their past works but with a more positive attitude. For me personally the best tracks are the two singles, "Break Your Little Heart" and "Stella" but I'm sure other people will find other songs enjoyable. This album is a fun, up-beat karaoke sing-fest but what's wrong with that sometimes? I found it worth my time but not worth the wait I had for it's release. If you need a "pick me up" then definitely pick this one up. Nothing Personal though. // 7

Comments

[HammerJustice]

Love All Time Low and woo, first comment. I hope i like this album, loved their previous one.
Does Mark Hoppus make a guest appearance on this album???

[Sam Rulez D00d]

definately a departure from their old sound. a little over-produced. i think they should have just kept with the raw pop-punk guitar bass and drums sound. but overall, i liked the album because of the creative and fun lyrics and popcore attitude. i still think ATL is the best pop-punk (or whatever you wanna call them) band out there right now.

[JayLacelle]

Sam Rulez D00d wrote:

definately a departure from their old sound. a little over-produced. i think they should have just kept with the raw pop-punk guitar bass and drums sound. but overall, i liked the album because of the creative and fun lyrics and popcore attitude. i still think ATL is the best pop-punk (or whatever you wanna call them) band out there right now.

wtf? they have never had a raw sound. All their previous albums have all sorts of synth-producing effects and the vocals are auto-tuned/pitch corrected to shit

[canvasDude]

i'm sorry but i really despise this band. they're almost as bad as the jonas bros and my ex is in love with them. st00pid n00bs

[Hairball135]

this album was extremely disappointing to me its so over produced and they didn't write any of the songs by themselves they are all co written its not ATL

[\m/[-_-]\m/]

great CD. probably their best one yet. everyone should totally go buy this. =P

[bf313]

I hate talking bad about bands but i realy can't stand ATL. There lyrics are so simple and not thought out and they have never made a song that is raw and they are maybe the worst pop punk band out there right now. If u want real pop punk listen to Blink 182,MxPx,Sum 41,or any other pop punk band besides this one

[JessicaGonzo]

JayLacelle wrote:

Sam Rulez D00d wrote:

definately a departure from their old sound. a little over-produced. i think they should have just kept with the raw pop-punk guitar bass and drums sound. but overall, i liked the album because of the creative and fun lyrics and popcore attitude. i still think ATL is the best pop-punk (or whatever you wanna call them) band out there right now.

wtf? they have never had a raw sound. All their previous albums have all sorts of synth-producing effects and the vocals are auto-tuned/pitch corrected to shit

not true if you actually listen to their cds in order you can tell that they were more pop punk then they are now.

they even said that in the past they tried to hard to stay in the "pop punk" genre and this cd their just writting music how they want it and not worrying about the genre.

in the end this cd is badass

[Photograph]

I think this CD is much better improvement than their last one. I still say their old stuff pre-So wrong its right like Put Up or Shut Up or Party Scene album is best. However, I like this new move and its very catchy.

[pyritmann]

they are total blink 182 knock offs it drives me mental, even the way they act and talk in interviews is so unoriginal, one of the most overrated bands around.

[transplants182]

Hairball135 wrote:

this album was extremely disappointing to me its so over produced and they didn't write any of the songs by themselves they are all co written its not ATL

co-written songs are such a turnoff for me. I never was on the fence on whether i like All Time Low but this now i'm leaning towards no

[transplants182]

transplants182 wrote:

Hairball135 wrote:

this album was extremely disappointing to me its so over produced and they didn't write any of the songs by themselves they are all co written its not ATL

co-written songs are such a turnoff for me. I never was on the fence on whether i like All Time Low but this now i'm leaning towards no

oops, i meant to say i WAS on the fence and now i'm leaning towards not liking them

[Kbent88]

Maybe someone should tell "blair" that Stella and break your little heart are not singles

[Kbent88]

Only SWIR was semi raw. The Party Scene, Coffee Break Soundtrack and Three Words were as raw as they get.

JayLacelle wrote:

Sam Rulez D00d wrote:

definately a departure from their old sound. a little over-produced. i think they should have just kept with the raw pop-punk guitar bass and drums sound. but overall, i liked the album because of the creative and fun lyrics and popcore attitude. i still think ATL is the best pop-punk (or whatever you wanna call them) band out there right now.

wtf? they have never had a raw sound. All their previous albums have all sorts of synth-producing effects and the vocals are auto-tuned/pitch corrected to shit

[the_stickman]

This album is awesome. Everyone should go buy it.

[gdsum41fan]

you know i think the best new pop-punk band as in 2005+ (before that everything was good) is mayday parade. brilliant lyrics, best solos in the genre since brownsound in sum 41, and great dual vocals.

[Hairball135]

transplants182 wrote:

transplants182 wrote:

Hairball135 wrote:i know i was so mad when i read this

this album was extremely disappointing to me its so over produced and they didn't write any of the songs by themselves they are all co written its not ATL

co-written songs are such a turnoff for me. I never was on the fence on whether i like All Time Low but this now i'm leaning towards nooops, i meant to say i WAS on the fence and now i'm leaning towards not liking them

[Bair]

Kbent88 wrote:

Maybe someone should tell "blair" that Stella and break your little heart are not singles

I never said they were, it was just worded funny. I meant the two singles (weightless, damned), stella....understand?

[killu926]

it took me some getting used to to like their new sound. I used to hate it but right now, i love it.

[iwanttheoldatl!]

the first time i heard "weightless" the first thing i could think of was the all-american rejects! sure, it was a bit creative. probably the most creative in the entire album but still could not get over the fact that they sounded too much like the all-american rejects.

don't get me wrong i absolutely love all time low! i have seen then in concert twice and they know how to put on a good show. what worries me is that they are "selling out". it didn't really concern me all that much at the beginning because i didn't really believe it but now i do. i believe that more people would like them if they weren't selling out.

alex gaskarth's voice is ABSOLUTELY amazing! he sounds amazing live. this album was a true disappointment because his voice was so digitially enhance. its like it wasn't really him singing at all.

i too can understand why they chose to release "weightless" first. i think it is a pretty good summer song but not their best. "damned if i do ya (damned if i don't)" in my opinion is the one song that sounds the most like their older stuff in so wrong, it's right and the party scene. "too much" is an epic fail. i think they tried too hard to sound different. "a party song (the walk of shame" is actually a semi-descent song. although at time it sounds kind of like a forever the sickest kids song. my favorite would probably have to be "break your little heart" or "sick little games". "hello brooklyn" is an absolute train wreck. i love how he failed to mention seattle. and where did frisco come from? i understand san francisco is a little too long but i feel bad for the "frisco" fans. "therapy" shows alex gaskarth's heavenly vocals.

all in all, this isn't their best album. but it was a good effort.

i really want the old atl back!!

[anjan14]

this album is amazing iam surpirsed the songs are so catchy all songs they have a bright future .all time low are amazing

[hayz_182]

Am I the only one who actually likes the song "Too Much"???
Pretty cool album