Customer Reviews

Forty Hour Train Back to Penn

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Im just going to rate the CD song by song.

1. Face or Kneecaps: a really catchy song. got me into this CD. second best song. 9.5/10

2. Jamestown: A deep song but its really good. WARNING: this song will get stuck in your head. 9/10

3. Spanaway: My least favorite song on the CD. Its too slow and generic for me. 4/10

4. Kelly: A good song but a bit repetative: 8/10

5. Taking It Out and Chopping It Up: A great song. One of my favorites. 9/10

6. Scary: An alright song but not anything special: 6/10

7. Hey: A Pretty good song though it is slower than most: 7/10

8. Jamaica Next: A pretty catchy song. another one of my favorites: 9/10

9. It's Something: This is my favorite song on the CD. Guitar rifts are good and its really catchy: 10/10

10. Keep Never Changing: Kinda of dull i think. not that great but still decent: 6/10

11. Ship to Shore: A pretty good song. I think if it and Jamaica Next were switched i would like it more but not a good song for the end of the CD. 6.5/10

I bought this album from the day it came out and man ive had my moneys worth. This album is definately one of the albums of 2003. Starts off well enough with "Face Or Kneecaps", which has a really crunchy guitar riff. "Jamestown", probobly the darkest song in the album contains very emotional vocals that really shows the Movielife's true colors. The third track "Spanaway" is a slowish track, probobly the most average song in the album. Then comes "Kelly Song", which is my fav in the album. Very catchy song and very well structured...this song is probobly one of the best Movielife songs and sounds amazing live. "Takin It Out...." is more like a typical pop punk song wit a really catchy chorus that goes 'c'mon c'mon, shut up shut up'. The start of Track 5, "Scary" reminds me a little of Hell Song by Sum 41...good lyrics and another dark song in the album. "Hey" is a very cool song, quite funny if u read the lyrics. The next song "Jamaica Next" is a typical Movielife song i guess, sounds like something out of the This Time Next Year. "Its Something" has very good lyrics and is a nice sing along song. Track 10, "Keep Never..." has fast punk drums and is a sort of song that would make you mosh when played live or really loud. "Ship to Shores", the last track in the album sounds a little like Face Or Kneecaps, probobly because of the guitar riff. The song is very emotional. Overall, I think this album is very good. Very emotional and Vinnie's vocals really stands out. This is a must have! Stand out tracks - Face Or Kneecaps, Jamestown, Kelly Song and Its Something

When you hype yourself up for something mind-blowing, it's never as good as when you're expecting something pitiful. Hand Granade was the track on the Warped 2002 cd that got my feet tapping, so when I started reading shining reviews of The Movielife's latest offering I bought 'Forty Hour...' and unwrapped it, my mouth watering in expectation...

...it took two listens, but even with higher than high hopes this cd really makes it. It's faster rocking than Brand New [not necessarily better!] and faster to kick in than Taking Back Sunday. This is pop-core that switches from the post-hardcore intensity of 'Jamestown', to the emo-tinged pop-punk of the beautifully executed 'Kelly Song'. Marvellously done, boys. Marvellously done.

It's exciting yet soothing; dark yet catchy. You can really feel Vinnie's pop-punk voice as he angrily comes out with heart-felt, memorable lyrics that show quality songwriting and inspiration. One of my favourite voices in punk.

It's also frustratingly addictive. The first two tracks smack you with skilfull guitars and noteable drumming, and you're left wanting to get back to your bedroom while you're at school/work just to spin this disc and savour the emotion that is The Movielife. 'Jamestown' is a raw, heavy track complete with swearing based on the New York band's dangerous tour bus crash that had a strong influence on this album. "Late night, snowfall,get us to the HAWWspital!"

'Spanaway' is bad apple that starts like it's been slowed down and it never really picks up, however, there are some gems that glint now again that are worth a listen. It confuses me as to why it's track three, but maybe it's so the next beauty, 'Kelly Song' can sparkle in juxtaposition to it's averagness. And sparkle it does... mmm...vanilla creaminess... It's destined to be a favourite, albeit the obvious, mainstream sound choice of the cd.

'Takin' it out and Choppin' it up' is a catchy shout-a-long moaning to an ex-girlfriend who mouthed off a-la Dashbord Confessional, 'It's Something' is a winner with different lyrics and a cute hook, and 'Keep Never Changing', has lyrics like "Not saying it's right, not saying it's wrong, it's just the way I chose to go"

'Scary' is one of my favourites. It's a pile of Finch-esque perfection proof these guys can squeeze originality out of their guitars, and I think the use of the word "Monster" says it all abdout this anthem of darkness and seriousness with a childish edge.

However, though it starts really tight, no seams, you'll lose concentration at track 8 or maybe even way back at track 5 if you have ADD and it'll just be mush of brilliance that you can't hear. Yes, it's top class music, but if it lacks something, it's variety. Fear not though the last track, 'Ship to Shore' should remind you that you're listening to the next big thing, parlty because the words "Naked body" graces your ears, and partly because it rocks. Quite alot.

Extra track, 'Sailor Tattoos' is light and jolly, but of course it's a teary eyed affair, that hits it lyrically, bites it in catchiness, but ends the cd with 3 seconds that had me cracking up.

But I won't ruin the surprise, I'll let you find out for yourself when you sprint to Best Buy and strangle Neil the store assistant with nose hair he needs to pluck and sweat marks on his armpits when he tells you that their all out of copies for The Movielife's 40 Hour Train Back to Penn.

Best of 2003 so far? Yeah, I think so.

In September of 2003, just months after this release, the Movielife announced they were breaking up. I didn't find this out until this morning, and the news didn't help my already [bad] day get any better.

The Movielife has never gotten any due attention, often accused of being a Lifetime ripoff with their first two releases and were then branded as "generic" pop-punkers after the release of "...Has a Gambling Problem" on Drive-Thru Records. My hope was that "Forty Hour Train Back to Penn" would change all this. Reviewers and regular music fans alike were starting to take notice of the Movielife's formidable musical skills.

While "Forty Hour Train..." is far from perfect (it took me two or three listens before I truly loved it), it shows amazing progress from their other albums and yet still keeps the catchiness and pop sensibilities they're known for. The first two tracks are pretty close to their old style, and are both excellent songs. The difference is that the playful tone is gone, replaced by snarling sarcasm and darker lyrics than was demonstrated just one album ago. Track 2, "Jamestown", is about a terrible accident on an icy road involving their tour van. This incident undoubtedly contributed to the sudden shift in tone in their music. As Vinny Caruana screams at the end of the song, "I'm still ...HERE!"

The next track, "Spanaway", is a moody mid-tempo song that is one my personal favorites on the album. It is also drastically different from any song the group has ever done. Then it's back to the harder yet poppier sound fans have come to love. Tracks like "Kelly Song", "Hey" and "It's Something" are flat-out pop-punk, with "Taking It Out and Chopping It Up" being a charging rocker. And the harder tone is kept up with the songs "Scary" and the pogo-anthem "Jamaica Next" (which has one of my favorite choruses on the album). The final two tracks are pretty standard stuff, and keep the album from getting a better review. Although some of the aforementioned tracks could be a little stronger, engaging though they may be.

After a few listens, I came to love this album. It made me eager to see what they would accomplish next, now that they seemed to be finding their niche. Sadly, months later, they disbanded. It was on goods terms, but that doesn't make it any easier. Hopefully this won't cause the very talented Movielife to fall into punk rock obscurity.

I Just read all the reviews on this album,I must say everyone hit it right on the nail..this album is amazing..a perfect blend of punk/rock/emo/garage sound..they blend it all together with perfection..I never heard of the movielife till a couple of weeks ago..I love taking back sunday,thursday,further seems forever,nfg,brand new and saves the day...so I decided to give this album a shot,needless to say,I was very impressed..this is by far the best album of the year,I love every song "Face on kneecaps" is amazing to me the stand out track.the whole album stays on track,perfect...
"spanaway","its something" are other stand out tracks..
If your thinking about buying them I would highly recommened this album.you won't regret it..

i do enjoy this cd a lot the first 2 songs are pretty emocore but then you see some of the pop punk that movielife has come too.not that its bad or anything but its a lot different than there old stuff which i enjoy this new stuff better becasue you can actually understand vinny and a great track on this cd is "hey" which just has great lyrical use for somereason i think but if your more of an hardcore emo fan chekc out there first 2 cds "this time next year" or "its go time" but i think a lot of people would enjoy this cd but one flaw with the cd is that i think if they change again it wil just be another new found glory becasue of the catchy chourus but still a very good emo cd at that

Totaly awesome!!!!I'm a french fan of Drive-Thru band and since "This Time Next Year" i wait this Albim.Song as "Jamestown" are very beautiful!

This is a very good cd by a very good band. Theres some pretty good live videos on it, and the bonus cd's got some good bands on it also from drive-thru records. There is not a song on here that I don't like. If you like the movielife then buy this.

After the release of their EP, Has A Gambling Problem, on Drive-Thru records, many of the Movielife's long time fans were fearing that their beloved Long Island boys were gonna jump on the pop-punk bandwagon. The Movielife's debut on Revelation Records, This Time Next Year, was as good as emotional hardcore records get. This new release aims to touch both of the aforementioned musical spectrums to show that The Movielife have not forgotten their roots yet are forging full speed again with new things.
A full-on PUNK intro riff greets the listener with a solid wallop in the opening track, "Face or Kneecaps." The next song, Jamestown, is the album's first single, and rightly so with an excellent two-chord emotional hardcore riff to drive this track about a serious van accident that occurred while the band was on tour. For those looking to satisfy their pop sensibilities, "It's Something" and "Hey" are bouncy and instantly catchy tracks.
Although it is early in the 2003 musical year, I would not hesitate to say that this is one of the best releases my ears have fallen upon thus far. You would truly be missing out if you do not pick this one up. I hope to catch them on the Drive-Thru records tour this summer.

Good cd. Not their best but better than other stuff. More harder and heavier sound which is great but some of it sounds somewhat monotonous at times. Best tracks are face or kneecaps, kelly song, jamestown, hey, ship to shore. They do somewhat expand their horizons in a good way on this one but This Time Next Year is their best in my mind. Still an awesome band.