Album Review: Every Avenue - Bad Habits

Michigan’s own Every Avenue are so radio-friendly it hurts. They’re the band that American radio stations play thinking they’ve fulfilled their ‘alternative’ and ‘rock’ quota. They possess that broad appeal those mainstream kids dabbling with being scene lap up.

All this taken into account, Every Avenue’s forth studio album, 'Bad Habits' isn’t awful; It’s just everything you’d expect from a band of this genre. Opener, 'Tie Me Down,' is a catchy tale of a tempestuous relationship with great vocals from frontman David Strauchman. 'No One But You' has a bit more bite to it but almost borders on cringey with it’s ‘woah-oh-oh’ refrains and it’s finger clicking jukebox vibe. 'Only Place I Call Home' is a textbook rock ballad with some nice piano riffs and albeit cliche lyrics like “You're the only place I call home. Near or far, where you are, is where I wanna be.”

As far as ratings go, it’s straight down the middle. It’s cleanly produced by Aaron Sprinkle (Emery, Anberlin, Acceptance) and sometimes there’s nothing wrong with a bit of archetypal American pop-rock. At it’s best is 'Whatever Happened To You', at it’s worst is 'I Can’t Not Love You' but overall 'Bad Habits' is a solid All-American power-pop record. It’s not phenomenal and it’s not going to be in your top albums of 2011, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad effort.

3/5

Chantelle 'Kiki' Goodchild

'Bad Habits' is out now through Fearless Records.