Thirteen Day Getaway - CIV

CIV had a taste of stardom when "Wait One Minute More" became an MTV and modern rock radio hit in the punk revival's 1995 glory days, when a group like CIV could ride the waves of Green Day and the Offspring. Instead of delivering a follow-up quickly and consolidating their following. they waited two-and-a-half years to release their second album, Thirteen Day Getaway. By that time, the brief punk revival had ground to a halt, and records by the Offspring, NOFX, and Sick of It All disappeared shortly after their initial release. CIV must have realized this, since they shake up their sound somewhat on Thirteen Day Getaway, adding hard rock, metal, and pop influences to their retro-hardcore. Of course, they haven't left punk behind; they've simply found new variations on their sound. Unfortunately, not all of these are successful, because the group has a hard time coming up with real, catchy hooks. Every once and a while a couple songs stick -- "Secondhand Superstar," "Haven't Been Myself in a While," "Little Men," and "Itchycoo Park," which bizarrely isn't a cover of the Small Faces classic -- but for the most part, their reach exceeds their grasp. However, it's nice to see that CIV is reaching on Thirteen Day Getaway, which isn't something their contemporaries are inclined to do. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide