America has a dirty little secret. It can be heard all over the radio and television and is soon coming to a stage near you. The All-American Rejects released their first major label release, “Move Along,” in July 2005 on Interscope Records. Their current single, “Dirty Little Secret,” is racing up the charts and a new single, “Move Along,” is scheduled for release on Feb. 20.
The quartet from Oklahoma had minor success in 2003 with “Swing, Swing,” but nothing like the wide spread fame of “Dirty Little Secret.” With a catchy, pop-rock melody, the song ranked in the top 10 on both the Billboard Hot 100 List and the Billboard Top 200 List.
Tyson Ritter, Nick Wheeler, Mike Kennerty, and Chris Gaylor are the All-American Rejects. Ritter and Wheeler went to high school together and in 1999 teamed up to create the sound of the Rejects heard today. Kennerty and Gaylor joined the team in 2000.
“Move Along” is 12 tracks long, and it keeps the listener interested. It starts off with “Dirty Little Secret.” The title track, “Move Along,” is sure to be the anthem of 2006. It has a catchy melody and beat that fans just have to bob their heads to. The lyrics are about staying strong, “And even when your hope is gone/Move along, move along just to make it through/When everything is wrong we move along.”
Another standout track is “Straightjacket Feeling.” A mellow track about the reality of getting over a break up, the Rejects hit a soft spot with this song. “But today I’m fine without you/Runaway this time without you/And all the things you put me through/I’m holding on by letting go of you.”
The lyrics are insightful and anyone who has ever had his or her heart broken knows what the Rejects are singing about.
The album as a whole may come as a shock to many new fans of the band. It does not contain songs of the same upbeat, pop tone of “Dirty Little Secret.” The tracks on the album are varied; some are harder rock, others are very mellow. The lyrics of the album are also deeper than those of “Dirty Little Secret.” For an opening single, that track is perfect; it is “Move Along” however, that will set the tone for the album and its continued success.
The All-American Rejects released their album “Move Along” at a perfect time. The music industry is in favor of the alternative/punk rock sound that the group has.
Last year was about boys and their guitars, John Mayer, Jack Johnson and Gavin DeGraw; 2006 however, is about the rockers: Fall Out Boy, Taking Back Sunday and the All-American Rejects are taking over the charts and this is just the beginning.
The Rejects are playing in the Bamboozle 2006 at the Meadowlands in May with Fall Out Boy, Taking Back Sunday and about 45 other bands over two days.
