Album Review: All Time Low - 'MTV Unplugged'

Ah yes, Pop Punk. Perhaps the most polarising of all genres – at least the ones that make up the rock musical landscape. There are two trains of thought one can use to assess this unplugged, in between studio releases album. Firstly, analysing its worth to pre-existing fans of the band, and secondly scrutinising it in an objective and impartial manner.

While the stylings of pop punk are best suited to bedroom walls of a thirteen-year-old girl there still can be merit in the music. Playing songs off their three main studio albums, Baltimore quartet All Time Low deliver an intimate, acoustic set that although at times appears whiney is nevertheless sincere and executed with a level of musicianship that displays adequate proficiency.

Performing six songs that cover All Time Low’s back catalogue, the live and acoustic sound of the band comes through the speakers well. Popular songs such as ‘Dear Maria Count Me In’ and the relatively new song entitled ‘Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don’t) are precise and are the stronger parts that make up the release.

Filmed in New York, the DVD compliments the CD component well. The performance aspect is genuine and fits in neatly with the aesthetics of an unplugged performance. It has everything the band would want – sing-along’s, the cheers of teenage girls and a warm environment, with each song making the transition from a studio sound to an acoustic one fluently.

Lets face it, this type of music is either going to be your best friend or your worst nightmare. Fans of the band will lap this ‘MTV Unplugged’ release up as, in fairness it is a strong release. Conversely though, anyone else will probably be best served to avoid it at all costs.

If you are a fan of the band, this CD/DVD will be an enjoyable release that is sure to get a playing more than once. However, for anyone else it is just going to reinforce the pre-conceptions that pop punk is watered down rock.

1. Damned If I Do Ya (Damned If I Don’t)

2. Coffee Shop Soundtrack

3. Remembering Sunday

4. Jasey Rae

5. Weightless

6. Dear Maria, Count Me In