Review: Northstar

northalbumNorthstar
“Is This Thing Loaded?”
(Triple Crown Records)

Pop Punk bands don’t come from Alabama everyday.  Actually, the only band I’ve ever knowingly heard from Alabama was called Alabama.  Northstar must have practiced their instruments in between helping ma and pa till the fields and taking trips to the outhouse.  I guess they have had a number of line-up changes including two different lead singers leading up to their first full-length “Is this thing loaded?”.  I just wonder why so many people have left the band and how they can call themselves the same thing after so many line-up changes but whatever.

Northstar sounds pretty much like every band they have toured with including Taking Back Sunday and Further Seems Forever.  What can I say other than that Northstar is poppy as hell with crunching guitars and emotional lyrics about life.  I think this band has a lot of growing up to do before they could be considered a truly inspirational band with some influence on the masses.  If you score bands on originality look somewhere else, but if you score bands on sound and sincerity go out and buy this album.