Kyoto Drive: A Review of The Approach

It seems that every week there is some new hip Pop-Punk band. Every time you hear how this band is so different from other similar bands. There is not much a band can do to really be different then the rest of the pop-punk groups. That is what makes this genre enjoyable. Bands today are not going to be playing into their 60’s like the Rolling Stones. We need to enjoy the bands we have and realize that there will be someone else that comes around that will make us just as happy. Kyoto Drive is just that.

The four piece band from Birmingham, England, is a mix of Jimmy Eat World, Yellowcard, and All Time Low. Kyoto Drive’s album The Approach has some very positive and powerful lyrics. They have the power chords of a pop puck band, but they also have soft vocals that have a calming approach to it.

The album starts with a calming instrumental that picks up some but not much. The next song, which I feel is one of the best on the album, “Holiday” is a very summer type song. It is a song about trying to find love and finding it and being what they were looking for. Another very enjoyable song is “Faking Laughs for Photographs” is a very good name for a song. This song is more along the lines of a pop-punk song.

Kyoto Drive does have quality songs on this album there is only one issue I have. The Approach is only 7 songs long. I would have liked some more songs on this album. While the songs are good the album ends far to quickly. Kyoto Drive might not be the band to define this genre, but they are a band that needs to be listened to because they are enjoyable. They are a band that is the definition of pop-punk, and really do not do much to get away from this genre. Overall, I would suggest listening to them, they are a surprise band that I actually enjoyed upon first listen and will continue to listen to though out the summer, and look for any more new material.

First Single: “So Much Alive”

Kyoto Drive – The Approach

7 / 10

www.myspace.com/kyotodrive