Champion – The Audition

This group has a lot in common with emo rock darlings such as Fall Out Boy and Panic! At the Disco. Led by singer Danny Stevens, the Audition tear into "Basbhat" with a certain confidence and melody, mixing the old and the new. Meanwhile, "Warm Me Up" is an interesting, hi-energy number that shifts gears on a dime with the verses recalling the Cure in their '80s heyday. The only problem being the guitar solo is a bit over-the-top and hard to swallow. However the record begins to slide down a slippery slope with a run-of-the-mill effort in "Heaven for the Weather" which is safe and lacks any edge, verve, or bite. Fortunately "Edinboro" fares better and brings to mind Simple Minds and Duran Duran if they were heavily guitar-influenced. However, Champion is a rather uneven affair throughout the record, with "Ether" coming off OK but not anything to get truly excited about. The lone asset to the song is the work of drummer Ryan O'Conner. Perhaps the highlight of the album is when the Audition slows things down for the melancholic, slow-building "What Gets You Through the Night" that comes up very strong, resembling a tight, punchy cross between Maroon 5 and U2. Another sleeper pick is the sparkling "Make It Rain." Overall, the Audition pass the audition, but not with flying colors. ~ Jason MacNeil, All Music Guide