Something Corporate Albums (3)
What The Critics Say
Something Corporate had the misfortune of being dubbed an emo band throughout their brief existence, a classification that overlooked the group's pop/rock muscle and Andrew McMahon's strong, maturing songcraft. While Leaving Through the Back Window introduced McMahon as a younger generation's Ben Folds (albeit with more angst and less snarky humor), North saw the songwriter taking an introspective turn, shunning the drunk high school girls and classroom bullies of his previous album for thoughtful ruminations on love, celebrity, and the steady approach of adulthood. North's strongest rock songs -- "Space," "Only Ashes," "Break Myself," and "The Runaway" -- boast minor-key guitar riffs and anxious vocals, indicating that the band's sunny disposition also had a dark side, but the album's true highlights are its slower numbers. "As You Sleep" opens the disc with midtempo piano arpeggios, while the striking title track mixes sparse, atmospheric verses with a meteoric chorus. There's some filler here, of course -- perhaps more than the band's debut, which only seemed to lose steam toward the end of its 14-track set list -- but North still proved that Something Corporate had the maturity to move past the majority of their Warped Tour brethren. Unfortunately, rhythm guitarist William Tell quit during the album's supporting tour, and Something Corporate took an extended (perhaps permanent) break several months later. Andrew McMahon went on to form Jack's Mannequin, a band that sampled equally from Something Corporate's sunny, pop-based beginnings and the mature, often melancholic introspection of this sophomore effort. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide
'Songs for Silent Movies'
Release Date 5/27/2003
Tracks 8
Label Japanese Import
See Album Tracklist and Review
'Leaving Through the Window'
Release Date 5/21/2002
Tracks 14
Label MCA
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Over the years, Orange County (the suburban California county that's south of Los Angeles and north of San Diego) has often been the butt of jokes among L.A. residents; the Beverly Hills/Santa Monica/West Hollywood crowd has even been known to call Orange County "Behind the Orange Curtain" (sort of like Manhattan residents having a laugh at New Jersey's expense). But all those "Orange Curtain" jokes don't erase the fact that Orange County has, in the alternative rock era, given the world some impressive bands (which have ranged from No Doubt to Nice to Under the Starry Sky). Another noteworthy Orange County act is Something Corporate, which brings strong power pop instincts to their first full-length album, Leaving Through the Window. These Southern Californians favor a style of alternative pop/rock that is punky yet vulnerable and introspective, with frontman Andrew McMahon anchoring many songs on his weathered upright piano. Given the band's reliance on his flourishes and double-fisted piano pounds, Something Corporate isn't just another emocore band in the blink-182/Fenix TX/A New Found Glory/Sloppy Meateaters vein; truth be told, they have more in common with Jimmy Eat World. Something Corporate has enough of a punky, bratty element to appeal to punk-pop and emo tastes, but they also have a strong love of melody and a sense of craftsmanship that probably was -- as lead singer/pianist Andrew McMahon insists -- influenced to some degree by singer/songwriters like Billy Joel and Elton John. At times, the band's power pop instincts also bring to mind Cheap Trick, although Something Corporate's lyrics are much more melancholy (and, during songs like "If You C Jordan" and "Drunk Girl," very indebted to the high school experience). Whomever one chooses to compare Something Corporate to, Leaving Through the Window is among the more memorable and promising alterna-rock efforts of 2002. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
