Plain White T's Albums (5)
What The Critics Say
After "Hey There Delilah" turned the Plain White T's into 2007's most unexpected success story, the band decamped to Malibu to dream up a proper follow-up. Arriving one year later, Big Bad World is a refreshingly smart release that emphasizes the band's pop/rock leanings. Slower songs dot the set list, but the Plain White T's never attempt to recreate the magic that fueled "Hey There Delilah," focusing instead on slick, sunny songcraft with nary an acoustic guitar in sight. Perhaps fueled by his recent success, frontman Tom Higgenson is in fine voice here, particularly when flanked by his bandmates' harmonies. "Big Bad World" and "Natural Disaster" introduce that tight vocal sound, while "Sunlight" takes its cues from '70s soft rock, boasting a gauzy chorus that takes a page from the Eagles' songbook. Most punk-pop musicians wouldn't be caught dead with an Eagles tune on their iPods, but Plain White T's have always prized pop above punk. Accordingly, pop forms the basis of Big Bad World -- not acoustic balladry, as the success of "Hey There Delilah" would suggest, and not emo-tinged punk, despite the many publications that categorize the band's music as such. Other groups traffic in similar circles, and bands like Jimmy Eat World and The Academy Is... (whose 2008 release, Fast Times at Barrington High, arrived just several weeks before this album) arguably do it better. Still, Big Bad World is a tidy, enjoyable release, and the Plain White T's deserve points for remaining grounded after a meteoric year. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide
'Every Second Counts'
Release Date 9/12/2006
Tracks 12
Label Hollywood
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
As the Hollywood debut for Chicago-based Plain White T's, Every Second Counts finds the quintet jumping to the majors and polishing up its already glossy and exuberant sound to take on the masses. They've essentially always owned a radio-ready edge despite never being played on mainstream airwaves, and this record embraces all the power pop and hooky satisfaction of their Fearless releases to basically throw the same party all over again. But thankfully, that doesn't mean these songs are tired-sounding. Throwing the big guns out right away, the stick-in-your-head exuberance of "Our Time Now" jump-starts the record with its massively bright and anthemic chorus, which fittingly leads into a semi-party breakdown midsong. The lukewarm anger of "Hate (I Really Don't Like You)" puts an amusing spin on customary breakup sentiments in the same manner that the melodic "Friends Don't Let Friends Dial Drunk" is a surefire hit thanks to its valid commentary on many a 21st century relationship. Plain White T's bring the infectious pop/rock much more than the pop-punk, their sweetly melodic cocktails going down so easy that a chaser is hardly needed. The acoustic sentimentality of "Write You a Song" has the potential of being this album's "Hey There Delilah," as the rollicking "Figure It Out" scores high marks with a probing bassline that leads into a swirling display of guitar showmanship and dance-worthy grooves. Fans who ate up 2005's All That We Needed are sure to love this album as well. And if Plain White T's are lucky, it just might be enough to finally snag them some of the TRL success that many of their Chicago peers have already been enjoying. ~ Corey Apar, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Less punk than infectious power pop, Chicago's Plain White T's put a modern, airwave-affable stamp on that beloved strain of the rock & roll virus with All That We Needed. The jumpy title track launches the set with a nod to Tom Petty's "American Girl," but the hooks don't stop there. The band draws on Jimmy Eat World for the hit contender "Take Me Away," while tunes like the lovelorn "My Only One" and the punchy "Revenge" rock harder and feel more original. If the cowbell-heavy "What More Do You Want?" is as cheesy as it is alluring, the guilty pleasures continue with the "young horny guy on tour" missive "Sing My Best," which is just one of several songs that recall great lost bands like the Producers, the Ravyns, and the Romantics. The obligatory acoustic parting shot is also solid, evoking the spirit of Big Star's classic "Thirteen." ~ John D. Luerssen, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Plain White T's' debut album, Stop, follows in the footsteps of Jimmy Eat World's sudden success in 2002, and evidently these four young men read up on their history. Stop is rather generic, although it does provide several enjoyable songs, such as "Please Don't Do This," in which vocalist Tom Higgenson pleads for his girlfriend to admit her cheating ways, and the breezy "Shine." Plain White T's' largest obstacle is its sounding like emo figureheads Dashboard Confessional and the aforementioned Jimmy Eat World, and in its desperation to emulate these groups it forgets to also inject its songs with a noticeable style of its own. As of such, Stop is simply a forgettable release overshadowed by its peers in the emo/rock scene. ~ Jason D. Taylor, All Music Guide
