A's last album, Hi-Fi Serious, was a decent collection of accessible pop punk tunes. Hit singles such as Nothing and Starbucks broke them into the mainstream after years of obscurity, and for a while they were all over the radio like a very itchy rash.
This was all back in 2002, however - the million dollar question is, three years on, do A still have a place in today's over congested rock market? One listen to Rush Song and the answer is a resounding yes. Recorded in Seattle with metal producer Terry Date (Deftones, Pantera), it's much heavier and darker than their previous material and easily their best work to date.
Opening up with a gargantuan riff sounding eerily similar to Muse's Stockholm Syndrome, it proceeds into an expansive, Jane's Addiction-like chorus, with Jason Perry's trademark helium aided vocals taking centre stage. All in all it's a highly unexpected and rather explosive return to the fore.
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