Album Reviews

Reggie and the Full Effect's man-behind-the-curtain James Dewees will be the first to dance on Emo's grave, literally. He's the kind of mad genius that every scene has, but often fails to properly recognize and acknowledge. If that's the case, then Last Stop: Crappy Town is his manifesto. Dewees had monumental stints in The Get Up Kids and Coalesce, two acts that undoubtedly impacted modern alternative substantially. He was even a touring keyboardist for My Chemical Romance, Emo's resident kings of pain. Dewees has been at the eye of the scene's storm for some time, but he's always had the same beaming, you-don't-want-to-know-what-I-just-did look on his face. Reggie and the Full Effect is his playground, and he's swinging on the monkey bars more fast and furious than ever on the latest Reggie record.

Within Reggie, he's able to blend poppy punk melodies with gnashing, metallic guitars and synthy dance beats, but it's all acceptable in this realm. On Last Stop, he's taken that sound to the next level. This is an angrier and more mature James Dewees, and the album's undeniably raw and heavy. One contributing factor is no doubt the bludgeoning bass devastation brought by Slipknot's Paul Gray. The low end simply rips throughout the entire record, rumbling like a tank on the horizon. The first song "G" is classic Reggie, as Dewees rants about his psychiatrist and Jesse James, announcing his newfound life over a club-ready chorus. "F" serves up a heavy dose of groove, while "J" has a dance beat that morphs right into a feral growl. Bringing from tradition a bit, "V" bears an Alice In Chains-style intensity, while the closing track "N" mirrors the pensive, despair nature of vintage Nine Inch Nails.

James has gone and made the perfect Reggie record. Now, Crappy Town's the place to be, and he's the mayor.

—Rick Florino
06.17.08