The two CDs today come from artists who are out to prove they have the “legs” to remain relevant in the music industry, and aren’t relying on the initial furor they created when they jumpstarted their careers. Both Colbie Caillat and the members of All Time Low are relatively young, so it’s interesting to see them doing their utmost to not be mere “flashes in the pan.”
Colbie Caillat — All of You (Universal Records). After the tremendous success of her debut album, Bubbly, and her Lucky duet with Jason Mraz, some quarters were wondering if Colbie had anything to offer beyond being a cute singer/songwriter who caught the public’s attention for her “15 minutes of Fame.” Her second CD didn’t do wonders, so it’s up to this third one to rekindle interest in her career. This is a solid effort, with more production work on the instrumentation. There’s the unlikely collaboration with rapper Common in Favorite Song, and Ryan Tedder helps produce two numbers, including the sunny opener Brighter Than the Sun. Think Good Thoughts has a lilting reggae touch. More hits than misses here. Enough of the “old” Colbie to satisfy her die-hard fans (What If and the Fleetwood Mac-ish Shadow); and subtle tweaks and changes to make new ones sit up and listen.
All Time Low (ATL) — Dirty Work (Interscope Records). ATL is a Maryland-based punk pop band that tours like crazy, and has developed a legion of rabid fans eager to lap up its albums and extensive tour dates. Some writers have drawn parallels to Green Day, and that may apply to the gruelling schedule, but ATL’s music may have more to do with Blink and All American Rejects. Some will perceive this as its “make it or break it”commercial album; and in the anthem cut I Feel Like Dancing Tonight, ATL enlisted Rivers Cuomo of Weezer to co-write. It’s song after song with killer hooks and sing-along choruses, and always the proverbial sly wink and extended middle finger couched in the music and lyrics. Time Bomb and Heroes are some of the more memorable tracks, and they do have a softer, melodic side — as showcased in A Daydream Away and My Only One.