I've said it before and I'll likely have to keep saying it -- singles do not a good album make, especially in this day and age. When it's possible to simply download particular songs from iTunes and a variety of other music services, the typical album strategy of "three singles with nine tracks of filler" doesn't seem so viable anymore. Today, I expect nothing less than a full album of decent music before I'm willing to make a recommendation.

Evans Blue's first release The Melody and the Energetic Nature of Volume doesn't manage to break out of this mold. The music wallows in Fall Out Boy-levels of teen angst, and thus it's hard to recommend it to any but the most ardent emo fans. On top of that, while the singles are reasonably solid, the rest of the album is filler and can be skipped without a second thought.  

Despite the angst, the singles are worth a listen or two. "Cold (But I'm Still Here)" is the track everybody associates with this group; it's not bad at all, though it's likely that if you've heard of Evans Blue you've already burned out on it due to its heavy radio rotation. "Over" is significantly less entertaining, due to sounding largely like a mellow version of "Cold."

"Possession" is the third single from the album, and it manages to sound exactly like an Evanescence song; indeed, the two groups are almost interchangeable, with similar morose lyrics and pop-rock melodies. While it's not a single, the opening track, "A Cross And A Girl Called Blessed" is pretty solid as well, with pounding percussion and guitar work all the way through.

Sadly, that's about it for this album - the rest of it isn't worth the time, as it's little more than a confusing, forgettable mish-mash of alternative rock and emo. Evans Blue has some solid talent, and they could definitely produce a memorable album if they really tried; it just doesn't seem like they put forth the effort here. Listen to the radio for your fill, download the singles from iTunes if you must, but don't waste your money on this album.

Rating: D+

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