Hardly strangers to the punk rock scene, All Ages, a San Francisco-based trio and a major player with Indie label Shameless Self Productions, has dedicated the past several years to writing and recording their highly anticipated debut album, A New Kind of Citizen. Formed in 2005, All Ages quickly became a household name in the San Francisco Bay area following the release of their first EP, What Do You Believe?, eventually capturing the attention of Japan’s top acts such as The Pillows, Noodles, and Saboten while on a six month tour of the United States and Japan.
Since the days of What Do You Believe?, front man Derrik Soares and bassist Tom Yamashita have set aside adolescent nostalgia and lean riffs, cultivating a sound that promises to garner followers young and old through the universal wisdom of their lyrics and the symphonic profundity of their instrumentals. Strap on your retro headphones and crank the volume for the title track, a bass driven “message of truth” featuring dueling guitars and soaring vocals reminiscent of “The Kids Aren’t Alright.” With a perfect blend of crisp arpeggio interludes and grinding verses, “Cause Baby” is also sure to become an instant classic.
In the tradition of modern minstrels such as Pink Floyd, Green Day, and Muse, All Ages weaves an anthemic amalgamation of love gone sour and witty rebellion, delivering a bittersweet “letter to the president’s men” that not every mind of this generation is transfixed upon “what we see on MTV.” However, this is no misguided attack against the oppression of a perceived oligarchy but rather a clarion call to the human collective to combat the “blinding of American minds” with love and friendship.
But amidst all the monastic wisdom, tracks such as “Not Just Some Kids” and “Some People Die Valentine” offer the listener endearing glimpses into the heart of a man who begs to be saved from himself and who struggles to “realize there’s hope to find something better.” It is a voice of humility and honesty one can empathize with and trust. It is the voice of an everyman. Years from now when humanity looks back in history we’ll say “The Wall, American Idiot, The Resistance, A New Kind of Citizen.”
