BANDS:

Punk & Ska
80's New Wave/
Post-Punk/
College Bands
90's & Beyond
Virginia, North
Carolina, & DC

Paulson: Ridiculous/Engine EP

Paulson has synthesizers. Paulson rocks. These two sentences dont make sense together.

Let me explain.

The first time I listened to Paulson, I realized the presence of the synthesizers right away. I thought it was a nice gimmick for the first song after all, the synth played the hook. Then I was reading the CD and came to the shocking realization that Paulson employs a full-time synth player. This could be a problem. After all, I can count on one hand the number of cool bands with keyboard players and still have a few fingers left. However, Paulson manages to have a synthesizer, rock, and avoid sounding like an 80s new-wave throwback (except for the bridge in Me First, which Ive learned to love after repeated listenings), all at the same time.

Paulson falls into that vague emo/punk/indie classification that isnt easily categorized, yet loved by all. Here is all you need to know: Paulson rocks. Five guys from New Jersey. Everything is solid the singing, the lyrics, the guitars, the keyboards, the drums (especially the drums). Everything. Where is the power ballad? Where is the sappy acoustic song? There arent any. These songs rock. Deal with it.

Six songs. All of them winners. My favorite? Christie (I was a sucker for the trick to writing love songs lyric). Second favorite? The other five songs.

Evidently Paulson is currently negotiating a contract. It is well deserved. I look forward to hearing a full-length album from these guys. I hope they become huge mega-stars. I want to quit my job and follow Paulson when they tour. Even if they never leave New Jersey.

(And yes, their band name IS a Fight Club reference.)

This album can be purchased at New World Records

LEFT OFF THE DIAL's Paulson page

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