Track Listing 1. Without You (Which Side Are You On?) 2. Take Off 3. C'Mon Baby 4. Quietly Complaining 5. New Game 6. Only One 7. Clean 1145 8. Asleep on Broken Teeth 9. Hors D'Oeuvres Avant le Coup d'Etat (Picture Frame) 10. Girl With a Beat 11. After School Special 12. Around 13. Shrine
| Details | | Producer: | John Fields | | Distributor: | BMG (distributor) | | Recording Type: | Studio | | Recording Mode: | Stereo | | SPAR Code: | n/a |
Album Notes Wakefield (Pop): Mike Schoolden (vocals, guitar, piano); Ryan Escolopio, J.D. Tennyson (vocals, guitar); Aaron Escolopio (vocals, drums). Recording information: NRG, North Hollywood, California; Red Carpet, Mechanicsville, MD; Paramount, Hollywood, California. Wakefield plays a listener-friendly variation on the post-grunge pop-punk of the late '90s and early 2000s. The band's 2005 sophomore release WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON refines their blend of alternative rock and pop accessibility. Even more than many of their contemporaries, in fact, Wakefield is dedicated to memorable, melodic hooks and a radio-ready sound. While the band is indebted to Nirvana and Soundgarden then, they also bear the influence of '80s FM staples like Night Ranger, the Cars, Queen, and Journey. "Quietly Complaining," especially, flaunts an overt Queen influence, while "Take Off" has a soaring chorus, melodic guitar line, and synthesizer sound linking it to new wave-tinged pop. "Only One" has a shimmering, wind-in-the-hair feel that marks it as a should-be Top 40 summertime radio hit. This is not to say that Wakefield doesn't rock hard; songs like "Asleep on Broken Teeth" have plenty of thunder. The band also throws a curve ball or two: the rap that rolls out in the middle of "C'mon Baby" is a pleasant surprise, as is the slinky, minor-key acoustic blues "Clean 1145." All this adds up to a compelling listen, making Wakefield's second release a sure bet for fans of pop-minded alternative rock.
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