Twothirtyeight – You Should be Living
Tooth & Nail Records
By Paul Hermann, Staff Writer
Last year a couple guys at school back in Minnesota raved about Regulate the Chemicals, the latest from Florida punk rockers 238. They’d walk in my room and proclaim “Hey, Hermy, have you heard the new 238? It’s the goods! Do you have any of their old stuff we can hear?” “Yep.” I would sigh, “I’ve got a few things you can check out if you want. They really aren’t that good, though – just more predictable pop/punk.” A few days later I found myself in those same friends’ dorm room listening to an album that simply kicked ass.
Tooth & Nail Records
By Paul Hermann, Staff Writer
Last year a couple guys at school back in Minnesota raved about Regulate the Chemicals, the latest from Florida punk rockers 238. They’d walk in my room and proclaim “Hey, Hermy, have you heard the new 238? It’s the goods! Do you have any of their old stuff we can hear?” “Yep.” I would sigh, “I’ve got a few things you can check out if you want. They really aren’t that good, though – just more predictable pop/punk.” A few days later I found myself in those same friends’ dorm room listening to an album that simply kicked ass. “This is awesome!!! Who is it?” I wondered aloud. “It’s the new 238! We told you it was good.” I was so blown away by the band’s musical growth that I immediately went out and picked up a copy of Regulate… and frankly, I’m still impressed.
With the formulaic punk/pop of 238’s previous work now almost two years in the rearview mirror, I’m glad to pronounce their latest album, You Should be Living, “DAMN GOOD!!!” and a continuation of their newly found maturity.
“Sad Semester” is a great song filled with quirky guitar parts (a new 238 staple) that lets us know that vocalist Chris Staples doesn’t like school so much. (Who can blame him?) “I Pretend To Choke” reminds me of a Beatles song with its cool vocal melodies. It’s by far the best track on the album. “Rhythm and Blues” isn’t a “traditional” rhythm and blues song; it begins with some cool guitar licks that really make you feel good and then erupts at the end into two strange guitar parts (the new 238 staple… remember that!) playing simultaneously. “The Bathroom is a Creepy Place” is a solo acoustic song by Staples that just leaves you missing the rest of the band.
Youshould be living has 238 continuing in the right direction. I could have done without a couple of things, mainly the solo acoustic bits, but for the most part this album is great. – (7.5/10)