Motion City Soundtrack
My Dinosaur Life
Release Date: Jan 19, 2010
Genre(s): Rock, Punk
Record label: Sony
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Album Review: My Dinosaur Life by Motion City Soundtrack
Great, Based on 5 Critics
Based on rating A-
A fan of Weezer before they got weirder? Prefer your pop-punk catchy instead of kvetchy? Then it’s time you met Motion City Soundtrack. On My Dinosaur Life, the Minneapolis quintet’s winning fourth album (ably produced by blink-182’s Mark Hoppus), frontguy Justin Pierre lets his geek flag fly, likening a breakup to the destruction of Superman’s home world and puzzling over ephemera ranging from acid rain (the lovely ”Skin and Bones”) to Busta Rhymes (the jauntily profane ”@!#?@!”), all backed by soaring choruses guaranteed to fossilize themselves into your brain. A- Download This: Listen to the song A Life Less Ordinary (Need a Little Help) at myspace.com See all of this week’s reviews .
Based on rating 8/10
Released just a few weeks into the year, My Dinosaur Life may already be the most perfect pop-punk record of 2010 -- emphasis on the pop. This is the album that Weezer could have created if they hadn't decided uninteresting frat boy pop/rock was the best way to play out the 2000s. Motion City Soundtrack has created a bright ray of sunshine to cut through the cold, wintery months, a confident set of songs full of loud, fast guitars; smart, self-deprecating lyrics; and instantly memorable hooks.
Based on rating 8/10
The other day I was donating a number of old CDs to a Charity Shop. (Yes, this reviewer has a heart). In amongst the box of odds and sods was a number of pop punk CDs, the likes of Alkaline Trio’s From Here to Infirmary, Home Grown’s Kings of Pop, Student Rick’s Soundtrack for a Generation, and significant to this review, Motion City Soundtrack’s I am the Movie.
Based on rating 6/10
Motion City Soundtrack could never be accused of taking itself too seriously. Pop-punk (with a strong emphasis on the pop) bands that take up regular space on the soundtracks of TV shows like Gossip Girl and movies like Hotel for Dogs, and feature cartoon dinosaur cover art, are in no danger of being mistaken for Fugazi. After three full-length albums and a steady spot in places like Alternative Press magazine and the Warped Tour, Motion City Soundtrack have become seasoned veterans of their genre.
Opinion: Very Good
Motion City Soundtrack have never been highly regarded as musicians. Their generic pop-punk anthems such as “Everything is Alright” never really sparked any real acclaim from the public. This is why My Dinosaur Life, their latest release, is such a pleasant surprise. The album is filled with well-developed tracks that are topped by infectious riffs and fist pumping vocals.