Cardinal Points

Issue date: 4/20/07 Section: Fuse

The first full-length album from veteran DC rockers Army of Me, "Citizen", is an album the world could have used much sooner in the band's 10-year career.

"Citizen" is an energy-packed album from beginning to end.

The vocalizations of frontman Vince Scheuerman are the stand out points of this album.

From the very first song, "Perfect", Scheuerman displays great vocal control. He is able to have a wavering voice without sounding like he is whining.

Even with the obvious control of his voice, Scheuerman doesn't sound like he is holding anything back. His emotion is evident each time it is heard.

The instrumental backing that supports Scheuerman on "Citizen" isn't exactly anything to write home about but it still seems to fit where it is.

The simple and sometimes redundant guitar riffs in many tracks mesh nicely with the simple words of Scheuerman presented in a humble protest.

Army of Me could be looked at as singer-songwriters who have decided to stray away from the over-the-top theatrics common today and go with another idea - less is more.

This decision to keep things on the lighter side works for the band and proves to be a risk worth taking in a time when storytelling pop music has seen better days.

"Citizen" is a solid easy listening album.

Even though Army of Me has branded itself with the title of "Indie", expect a more pure pop sound from this album.

Worth a listen. Look for Army of Me to make it onto the radio soon.

four stars out of five

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