Artist: Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Album: Don't You Fake It
Label: Virgin Records
Release Date: 7/18/2006
written by AJ, VP of Altsounds.com

Ahhh Red Jumpsuit Apparatus! You have a stupid name, but your music makes me happy!

Through killer live performances and great songs, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus quickly made a name for themselves in their home state of Florida which rapidly expanded to the whole South East region. Songs like Face Down, Ass Shaker, Justify and Cat and Mouse struck chords with audiences with a perfect blend of lyrical substance and musical energy. Those same songs make an appearance on Don’t You Fake It, a lyric taken from Ass Shaker, which has been renamed In Fate’s Hands. The name isn’t the only thing that has changed. Going into the studio with big shit producer David Bendeth has added a whole new dimension to what were previously considered ‘Jumpsuit Classics.’ Opinions are bound to vary on whether or not these changes were a good idea.

The record starts out swinging with In Fate’s Hands and maintains a whirlwind of frantic energy with Waiting and False Pretense standing out, before hitting their ‘monster ballad’ Cat and Mouse mid way through the album. Although it’s a full band version with a slightly faster tempo, the message of the song is maintained through Winter’s crooning. The second half of the album is just as strong as the first with clear hits Atrophy and Justify leading listeners toward a somewhat darker place. They quickly counterattack with their partially acoustic song Your Guardian Angel, displaying the subtle power of their softer side featuring some of the most beautiful vocal work of Ronnie Winter’s career. The real gem on Don’t You Fake it can be found in the hidden track The Grim Goodbye, an epic powerhouse which is essentially their entire musical philosophy in one song, climbing to incredible highs and sinking to incredible lows with a climax that will send chills down your spine.

Despite your opinions on the remakes, Don’t You Fake It as a whole, is a great piece of work. Firmly rooted in power pop, combining elements of punk and hardcore, Red Jumpsuit run the gamut of musical exploration without losing any of the pieces of what makes them Red Jumpsuit in the first place: Soaring melodies backed by interesting harmonies, racing guitars and solid rhythms consolidated in short, but action-packed compositions of memorable hook-fests. The talent of Ronnie Winter is undeniable as his vocals stamp Don’t You Fake It with a signature uniqueness that’s bound to carve out a Red Jumpsuit Apparatus-shaped niche in modern pop/rock.

www.redjumpsuit.com
Check them out and listen to tracks from the album on Altsounds! www.altsounds.com/theredjumpsuitapparatus
Check Out the Full Album on Altsounds.FM