::CARTEL::

For a band I was introduced to almost exactly a year ago, they sure have gained a lot of ground on my respect meter. The first release of theirs I had heard was 2005's Chroma, a record full of catchy hooks and poppy (yet still explosive) choruses. From the beginning, I had to like these guys. They were just too darn catchy to not like. However, after several listens, I realized that there was more than just 4 chord songs and a high pitched, sugar coated tenor voice. These guys actually rocked.

Chroma, best highlighted by such tracks as "Say Anything (Else)", "Honestly" (their first single from the album), and fan favorite "The Minstrel's Prayer", is an album that most any pop-punk loving teen scenester will fall in love with. After I heard that Cartel was going into the studio to record a new album, I was eager to hear what would come. Would it be Chroma, Pt. II, or would it try (and more than likely fail) at breaking the mold they've been cast into? Well, months went by, and Cartel began writing their new album (all under the watch of the general public) in the US version of "Band in a Bubble". The band went into this "bubble", with 23 cameras placed to watch their every move (24/7), and 20 days later, they were to unveil the new album to the world by performing it, in its entirety, live.

Their new album, simply titled Cartel, was not what I expected...but gladly welcomed. On first listen, I was caught off guard. I thought to myself, "Is this really Cartel?" Obviously, it was, but the album is definitely a more rock oriented effort. A few of the album gems are tracks such as "Lose It", a song as catchy as they come, that will have you pressing "repeat" over and over (and over) again, "Tonight", featuring swelling guitars and a driving chorus, and the album closer, "If I Were To Write This Song", which almost turns into a veritable jam session with an impressive, soulful guitar solo. Needless to say, I was a fan of the new album. I believe that if they keep up the current trend, Cartel could be one of the more influential bands of our time.