Matchbook Romance

Ive Loved this band for sooo long. Stories and Alibis is in my opinion one of the greatest albums that has ever come out for there genre i mean i'll throw my Mp3 player on random and as soon as a song from that album comes on i have to listen to the whole album..SO..is Voices By Matchbook Good..I think it is..but..alot of bands seem to want to do something more something different...And in this case i think its great..Matchbook is Darker in this album but not in a bad way..im not gonna lie it sounds like a completely different band..but the change is not bad..give this album a shot but keep in mind your not getting another..Stories and Alibis

I love matchbook romance. They are the best band ever. My favorite song of theirs has to be monsters! Sometimes i listen to it 15 times in a row!

I guess some people can't get enough emo...I personally am not against it, although I think too many bands (such as virtually every pop-punk band + My Chemical Romance & Lostprophets...) are mis-categorized as emo...but anyway, this album just plain sux. Their 1st one got pretty boring after track 6 or 7 (I can't remember); I bought this one having little knowledge of this band, 'cause I was in the mood to listen to something that sounded like the guitar in trk #1 of their debut (via Rhapsody; saves people a lot of $ to pay $13 for over a million CDs instead of $13 x 1,000,000...) and THIS one was under $7 BRAND NEW at a local music store...

I tried listening to this again and again, and then stopped. This is totally worthless. The music is slow, but there's no ballads or creepy songs...the opening track/song sounds like it TRIES to be creepy, but I was not in the least bit compelled...there's no anthems for the dying heart(s), no food for thought (maybe if you JUST read the lyrics there is, but I don't listen to music for the lyrics; I'll dig deeper if I like the MUSIC, but...), not even a Bon Jovi or Backstreet Boys pop ditty...this is un-energetic, un-melodic, un-unique newspaper (or whatever it is you recycle, if anything...).

"Voices" is awesome! In June 2006 I went to a Yellowcard concert- Matchbook opened for them. I bought a Matchbook shirt (I didn't even know their music then, haha) and then I bought this CD, too. I love it! My favorite songs are "Say It Like You Mean It" and "Monsters."

This album is a HUGE step forward for this band. Their debut and EP albums were both kind of watered down emo music. This album, however, displays a darker and more adult side to the band. There are slight hints of progressive guitar work in some tracks. The vocalist soars on this album, in both the slower and up-tempo tracks.

If you like heartfelt, creative yet accessible music with dark undertones...BUY THIS ALBUM.

Riding high on the heels of their Epitaph debut EP West For Wishing in 2003, Matchbook Romance hit the studio and cut among the best albums since the turn of the century, Stories and Alibis. Starting out with one of the band's stongest cuts and somewhat of a title track "Your Stories, My Alibis", Matchbook Romance's debut full-length is dripping with heavy riffs, a hint of screaming and enough emotion to overwhelm. There isn't a bad track in the bunch. There's hardly an average track in the bunch. Every song from "Playing for Keeps" to "Tiger Lilly" all the way through to the end, it's apparent the Matchbook boys were out to one-up themselves time and time again. They call back to their EP for the album's impressive finale "The Greatest Fall (Of All Time)," a fitting end to an incredible album. Perhaps the saddest thing about this album, is that it doesn't have a worthy follow-up, and may never. 2005's Voices was an uneven mess, and since it's release the band has taken an "indefinite hiatus." Sad news for ANY fan of their music, or music in general. Don't let this stop you. Whether or not this turns out to be the only great album Matchbook Romance releases, it's still just that, a great album.

I bought this cd about two months ago after buying their new cd "Voices"(which i didnt really like all that much). This cd was awesome. The songs are catchy and I can listen to it over and over again and not get tired of any of the songs. I would really recommend buying it.

Wow, I hope Precious M was joking when she/he said that the lead singer would brag about how he's a "musical genious". Musical idiot is more like it.
This is a bad cd from a terrible band. All the songs sound alike and run together so much to the point where you're in the middle of a track and think to yourself, "wait didn't I just hear that song"?! The melodies are also very dull and boring.

The singer's voice is downright hideous! A very nasal tone. Plus, he's out of tune.

The lyrics aren't horrible but they aren't good either.

The best thing about this album is the artwork because it looks like a diary. This album is horrible, though. I regret buying it completely

When i firsted listened to it i put it away and didn't both with putting it on again untill i ripped it to a mp3 cd for the car and now that it has grown on me it has become one regular tunes for my ears. looiking at there other cd's it's still not the best but if you do like some of there Songs then it's still a good buy.

Stories and Alibies is an excellent album. It's origional, catchy. Upbeat, and carries a beat. What is a joke is the band. They suck live. I give their crew a lot of credit for making this album sound good. Becuase they didn't sound good live, and they sound good on here. They are deffinately an album band. Good on CD, bad in person. Also, their other releases suck. They are a one hit wonder. They need to see what style works for them, and what doesn't. On their first ep, they tried to be screamo, and it was disgusting. Un orgional, he has a terrible screamo voice. Than on their full length, they went to emo, smart choice. He has great melody. Turned out to be a great CD, than their new CD (which isn't out yet, I downloaded it. It's called Voices), Is completely awful. They are now a weird rock style, which is neither instrumentally impressive, nore vocally impressive. It's garbage. I've lost respect with them. I like when bands change styles and all, if it's for the better. But if you have a good formula, why change? Buy this album and none of their others.

I'm not much of an emo/punk listener, Alkaline Trio and Rancid are about as far as I go into those genres, I haven't heard many of their underground bands and my friend told me to hear Matchbook Romance and I d/led the song Save Yourself and loved it. So I got this cd you see. Ok I never do song by song reviews and I'm not going to now but since this is so short it's gonna be damn close to one, I'm not gonna comment on the actual song, I'll just say whether I like it or not.
14 Balloons is pretty boring, too short and really not my style.
The Greatest Fall(Of All Time) is an excellent track, 2nd best on the cd.
Hollywood and Vine and Farewell to Friends are both decent tracks, nothing great but passable.
Save Yourself is the best song on the album, very well done.

I hear alot about this band being a copy cat band, but I don't really listen to this kind of music often, so I can't comment on that (otherwise I would). This band is actually very talented as well, they are miles better than them hacks Yellowcard, bass is good, drums are good (the double bass gets annoying in the chorus after repeated listens though), the guitarists are pretty mad and the vocalist is alright, but pretty boring, his emotion borders on the point of sooking though.

(...)

umm. well i hated emo. because they all try so hard to be different that they ended up being the same. and even though that hasnt changed yet.... i picked up matchbook romance at target because the cd was NOT in a jewel case so i figured it had to be okay (woo noncomformers!) and it turned out to be really good. not the first time i listened to it, or the second. more like the eigth. but i really like the greatest fall song and the one that goes "Take my hand and never let me go." i used to be embarrased for screaming guys but this band made it okay. it actually made it really good.

quit trashing emo.

oh and pick up the used and something by pantera while you're at it!!!!

i feel like shooting myself in the face for ever liking this band.

this is terrible music because
- the vocalist has such an annoying voice.
- the drummer thinks he is way better then he is.
- it sounds like almost all of the other bands that are trendy and 'in' right now.
- the songwriting is absolutely awful, and totally unoriginal.
- they obviously listen to finch. so much so that they feel like ripping off a finch chorus, in every song.
- worst screaming ever.
- i could have recorded better guitar tone with a mic held up to my ass, a few hours after a trip to taco bell.

MR is awesome and If you liked showoff check out chris from showoffs new band Farewell My Enemy at www.farewellmyenemy.com they are really f'n awesome.
Tom

i got the stories and alibis album first, which i pray to. this album is very cool. if you wanted to see matchbook romance with a little more emo-core edge, here it is. the first song, 14 balloons is pretty sucky, but the other songs well make up for it. "The Greatest Fall" in this album is also MUCH better than that in stories and alibis.. at least that's i think

This album is really great. It is supposed to show how they can still play unplugged.

Matchbook Romance does a great job on switching to acoustic. In Transit (for you) starts off slow and switches to a louder sound one by one.
With the song Playing for Keeps(Acoustic) they show how they can change it up a little bit. They show how dynamic they could be with different styles

Motion city soundtrack still has a little of punk in their hand. They our acoustic, but not really. They really on vocals to keep them up. The guitar parts are really messy.

Matchbook Romance really took the part on this one. But overall these are too good bands, and this album is really good, so go check it out

the tracks from Matchbook Romance rub me the wrong way. I don't dislike MR, I don't have their album but I've heard and gotten some amount of enjoyment out of "Promise" and another song whose name escapes me at the time. Unlike the average emo-ish band, they don't translate very well into unplugged territory. I give their effort a 1/5.

On the other hand Motion City Soundtrack brings their usual energy to the table, even without the aid of their usual hyperactive moog-lines. "When 'You're' Around is one of their best songs to date, even unplugged. Luckily the plugged in version is on their upcoming album as well (I heard them play it live, prepare to be blown away). "Sunday Warning" isn't as mind-blowingly awesome, but its still a great song and showcases their amazing lyrical ability. I give their half of this album a 5/5.

I think Epitaph was slightly misguided to place these bands together, because even if MR's tracks had been better, these bands' styles don't mesh well.

Matchbook Romance's In Transit (For You) is a horrible opening to the ep. They get a horrible sound out of the guitar. It sounds like a really cheap nasty instrument. The chords they play are as standard as chords get, no depth of harmony whatsoever, the chord changes add even more lameness into the mix and the guys voice doesn't sound good either. Their other song, Playing For Keeps, is better, but still not good. It sounds a bit like Dashboard Confessional's weaker songs. Motion City Soundtrack's contribution is a bit better. When You're Around is a nice song, but the guy's voice really isn't suited to this kind of music. Their other track, Sunday Warning, is the best on the ep. It reminds me a whole lot of Christie Front Drive, which is awesome, especially in the vocals, which feel a lot more in place on this song. This is a really great song, their best ever, and I hope their next release has some more like it. They kinda cheat on the "acoustic" thing though. Both their songs are enhanced by some electric guitar additions.

matchbook romance ruins it...that guy CANNOT sing acoustically (???)...i mean i like MBR but they need not ever do this again....both motion city soundtrack songs are amazing and worth the 6$ ...plus the artwork is awesome and so is the actual cd (a clear cd) HA!

First of all Motion City Soundtrack ROCKS!!! and so does Matchbook Romance. This album is showing the new stuff from motion city soundtrack, which there NEW album is being created....
In conlusion motion city soundtrack is coming out with a new album soon and this shows some of there new stuff!

I loved this CD, some of the best music I've heard is on this album.

pay almost four times more for one extra song from a band that makes sucky music.. hmmm.. what do you think?