HOME MOVIES VIDEO/DVD MUSIC TV GAMES
New Online
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

GENRE
Alt rock/Metal
RECORD LABEL
Virgin
CHART ACTION
Disc sold 500,000 copies. "Face Down" became a Top-5 modern rock hit.
REVIEWED BY
Marcus Yoars and Bob Smithouser

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus Don't You Fake It
The band doesn't take success for granted, thanking friends and fans for making a dream come true ("In Fate's Hands"). Amid pain, a guy offers sage advice about knowing oneself and setting goals ("Waiting"). "Face Down" warns that every action bears a consequence. It also gets in the grill of an abusive boyfriend ("Do you feel like a man when you push her around?") in hopes of breaking the cycle. With the spiritual conviction of a psalmist, "Misery Loves Its Company" acknowledges our fallen state and asks the Lord for guidance. Other tracks urge a friend to regain control of his life ("Atrophy"), pledge to protect a true love ("Your Guardian Angel") and voice support for a fellow artist rejected by the industry for not having pop-star looks ("Seventeen Ain't So Sweet"). The cryptic "Justify" uses biblical language to warn of a deceiver—called the Fake—who leads men to destruction ("Your side, choose wise ... choose while you can").

Though "Grim Goodbye" is a well-intentioned, empathetic description of someone's descent into darkness, it gets murky and teens could fixate on the despair ("I just cannot let this go/I just cannot win"). Probably used as a verb (but easily heard as a swear word), "damn" appears in the chorus and title of "Damn Regret" ("Damn regret, I'll try to forget/Don't worry about me/'Cos I'm real fine").

A sonic blend of Green Day, Simple Plan and screamo, this group is headlining the Take Action Tour, a campaign to help teens combat depression and suicidal thoughts. And indeed, these guys seem eager to reach a subculture desperate for hope. While they do slip up on a couple of tunes, they're still something of an optimistic light in a very dark genre.



E-Mail This Article


New Online
Up Front What Has Michael Jackson Meant to America?
Read Our Latest Up Front Article
Movie Review Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
Read Movie Review
Video/DVD Review Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience
Read Video/DVD Review
Music Review Jars of Clay
Read Music Review
TV Review The Goode Family
Read TV Review
Game Review UFC 2009: Undisputed
Read Game Review



 

HOME | MOVIES | DVD | MUSIC | TV | GAMES
UP FRONT | ABOUT US | CONTACT US | EN ESPAÑOL
FOCUSONTHEFAMILY.COM | RESOURCES | DONATE
Copyright © 2009 Focus on the Family • All rights reserved • Int'l copyright secured
'Shining a Light on the World of Popular Entertainment' is a service mark of, and
'Plugged In' is a registered trademark of Focus on the Family
(800) A-FAMILY (232-6459) • Privacy Policy/Terms of UseSite Map