Album Review: Man Overboard – Man Overboard

Whenever someone says that an album is “a grower” I can’t help but feel they are just trying to hide the fact it is a poor record. Man Overboard’s self titled offering is a grower.

Opener “Rare” is immediate and downright frantic – it takes a few seconds to even realise what is going on. The vocals are buried under a frenzied rhythm that hits hard and fast. It’s an ideal start, for an album and for a gig.

The rest of “Man Overboard” is more predictable. From “Teleport” onwards we have sunny lyrics, cheery melodies, and energetic songs. Which is why it is a grower.

At first, the predictability dampens the mood. One song can blend in to the next and before you know it, closer “Atlas” is drawing to its rumbling conclusion without any real impression having been made other than “that wasn’t bad.”

But once you accept it for what it is, “Man Overboard” has its rewards. There is not a bad song here. It is sunny, cheery, and energetic. It is pop punk, and if you are purchasing a Man Overboard album, then you probably want that in high doses. It is an ideal soundtrack to the Indian Summer we are having at the moment in Scotland.

If pop punk is your thing, “Man Overboard” won’t let you down. If you need a starting point for the genre, there are other (better) albums out there.

Rating: 6/10