The All-American Rejects - Dirty Little Secret (Polydor)
UK release date: 12 September 2005
If Simple Plan are a poor man's Green Day, The All-American Rejects are a poor man's Simple Plan. It's fluffy punk pop for middle class American teenage girls who don't want to listen to Ciara and 50 Cent, and would rather get sweaty with boys in eyeliner than shake their booty to the latest Missy Elliott remix.
Taken for what it is, there's really nothing wrong with this record. It fits the formula almost perfectly with its tuneful verses, catchy sing-along chorus, bouncy beat and a simple stadium guitar riff. It's even got an emo breakdown at 1:40 where the singer screams about how it's "eating (him) apart".
It seems though from the lyrics, that his heartache is being caused by having a little something on the side. At least that solves the mystery as to why all their peers are singing about their lonely hearts - the Rejects must be taking more than their fair share of the ladies. Unlikely to score them any fans from outside the genre, this single is more of the same from a band that neither delight or offend.
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