By Tana Burkhart
Reporter
The All-American Rejects jumped back onto the scene on July 7 with their two-song EP “Sweat”, and the sound is nothing short of spectacular. Without neglecting their familiar, sweet and catchy hooks, the boys from Oklahoma have layered their sound with a certain boldness and maturity that is typically only heard from bands who have figured out how to stand the test of time.
Lead singer, Tyson Ritter, depicts himself as a transgender character for the cover.
And after an uncomfortably quiet five year hiatus, this comeback could not be more welcomed.
While the title track, “Sweat”, definitely holds on to important pieces of the band’s signature sound (such as group vocals and the crisp, rhythmic percussion), it also adds just a touch of synth to the mix. It isn’t quite what you would hear from an electronic music festival, but more of a “grown up” synth sound, if you will. Add in the sultry lyrics and the repeated whispering of the word “sweat” throughout the chorus, and there is no getting around the fact that the song is just plain sexy.
The second song, “Close Your Eyes”, has an extremely beautiful, almost entrancing sound. With the creative use of percussion and lyrics like “your taste was in my mouth, the lipstick on the window, you were gone” and “that’s when I knew, I’ll make you regret it”, one can’t help but feel as though they have just made a terrible mistake with no escape from dealing with it. I could honestly feel every emotion in this song, right up through the final hypnotizing ring from the tapping of the piano key.
Overall, this EP is very highly recommended for anyone who is either already an AAR fan, or for those who enjoy thoughtful and well-orchestrated songs from extremely talented musicians.
The two-song EP, along with an 11 minute video for the pair, can be found on YouTube. There are also many options for digitally downloading the songs, as well as the option to buy a physical vinyl copy from the band’s website.
The All-American Rejects record under Interscope Records. “Sweat” was produced by Ido Zmishlany and composed by the band’s front man, Tyson Ritter. “Close Your Eyes” was produced by Benny Cassette and also composed by Ritter and Benedetto Rotondi.
The Rejects have been together since 1999. They currently have four studio albums and the new EP available. A fifth studio album is said to be released later this year including around ten new songs.
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