Metro Station - Metro Station Review

“Let’s hunt and kill Billy Ray Cyrus!”, called the legendary comic Bill Hicks in his masterpiece. Rant in E Minor. A fantastic idea, Bill, but why stop there? Perhaps if the plan had been executed on one Leticia Finlay Cyrus as well, before 1992, we would have never had the misfortune of experiencing his daughter Miley (aka Hannah Montana). To go even further, it would have been logical to take the same plan to action before 1989. If you’re wondering why, all the evidence is right here.

His name is Trace Cyrus. He’s tall, goofy-looking and has an irritating voice. Before you say “chip off the old block”, however, things get worse. He doesn’t make drawling country pop like his dear-old stepdaddy, nor does he make corporate preteen bubblegum like his sweet little half-sister. No, this Cyrus has an infatuation with hipster electropop mixed in with eighties guitar tones and whiney lyrics about girls. Where the hell it came from is anyone’s guess, and it’s even commendable that he is to branch out from the musical family tree. However, after listening to Trace’s band, Metro Station, as well as the subsequent eponymous album, chances are you’ll be wishing he would go right back.

The main issue to be had with Metro Station overall is that it has the distinct tendency to feel more like a product than an actual work of art. The subject matter is all partying (“I was taken, but you were waiting/One more drink and I’m convinced”), girls (“If she does it like this, will you do it like that?/Come on, shake it!”) and how cool being young is (“We’re not gonna be seventeen forever!”). Whilst timeless subject matters of their own accord, everything that is sung about on the album sounds like it is meant for teens right now in this day and age; most likely a clever ploy on behalf of the songwriters themselves. Also, the incessant use of “whoa”s rivals even the Kaiser Chiefs....full text Metro Station makes their debut album thanks to their popularity on the net. MySpace had a lot to do with it, but they were also called one of the “22 Best Underground Bands” by Alternative Press magazine.


The band consists of Trace Cyrus (vocals, guitar), Mason Musso (vocals, guitar), Blake Healy (keyboards), and Anthony Improgo (drums). If you think “Cyrus” and think of Miley and Billy Ray then you’re on the right track since he’s Billy Ray’s son and Miley’s brother.

So there’s potentially some Hannah Montana crossover there. The band is has an “electronic” feel, but they’re still probably going to get some airplay since they have some extremely radio friendly tunes. The album has many energetic tracks beginning with “Seventeen Forever.”

My favorite tracks are probably “Shake It” and “Disco.” I don’t think that Metro Station can be dismissed as a tween “Hannah Montana” wannabe since their songs have a somewhat infectious hook and are pretty upbeat.

They don’t feel as popcorn as Montana, although fans of her might enjoy them as well. Give them a listen and you might want to get on the bandwagon that so many MySpace users (and Alternative Press) have gotten on...full text One has to feel for Trace Cyrus, Metro Station’s exuberantly-inked, MySpace-faced singer and guitarist – between them, his father Billy Ray and sister Miley have made the family name a high watermark of quality to trailer-park dwellers, tweenagers… and literally nobody else. All of which makes being taken seriously a problematic task. Perhaps sensibly, Metro Station don’t try too hard. Put simply, if you find PATD too slick and safe, you’ll want to avoid this record. The basic DNA is the same, but on ‘Wish We Were Older’ and ‘Kelsey’, it’s been sanitized to a PG-rating. There are a couple of standout moments, such as the clubworthy ‘Shake It’ and ‘California’, but if you’re reading this, you’re too old for it. And that’s no bad thing....full text