Prepare the Masses

A Change of Pace

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 15, 2006)
• Original Release Date: August 15, 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Immortal
• ASIN: B000GIW9CS
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #102,638 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist
Honestly, what do you remember about being 19 years old? Probably nothing. For the members of A Change Of Pace (out of Peoria, Arizona) that time wasn’t exactly ages ago, In fact, for a few of the band’s members (vocalist/guitarist Torry Jasper, drummer Jonathan Kelly, bassist Johnny Abdullah and lead guitarist Adam Rodgers) it was only a matter of months. But the memories they have from that time still seem to be reasonably summed up in one word. Nothing. Which is not to say the memories have faded.

What A Change Of Pace really remembers about those formative years is the nothingness of their hometown; the empty days and even emptier holes in their lives that it seemed like only music could fill. "I knew freshmen year that I didn’t want to do anything besides play in a band," says now-20-year-old drummer Kelley. "[Torry and I] started out playing five years ago and we knew we wanted to get out of Peoria the minute we graduated from high school. We just had to."

Forming quickly over a shared love of early ’90s pop-punk, Jasper and Kelley set the foundation for A Change Of Pace and the music that, after some member shifting, would comprise The Only Change Is Constant. That first self-financed EP was a record they would work into the grown post-graduation, as they set out on tour with like-minded contemporaries such as Senses Fail; all the while they continued honing the leaner and more explosive group of songs that would soon catch national attention.

Discovered almost accidentally in 2004 by manager Jorge Hernandez (who was poking around the ubiquitous Purevolume site starting, coincidentally, at the letter "A"), the band’s management quickly ushered a deal with Immortal, who then set them up with famed Incubus producer Elvis Baskette. Somewhere in between Jasper watched his life’s first love come crashing down around him and the lyrics on An Offer You Can’t Refuse, passionately and poetically, are furled by this particular (and painful) transition.

"That whole thing basically ripped my heart out of my chest and threw it all over the fucking ground," Jasper says now with a nervous laugh. "But I’ve learned a lot. This record was my defense. It was something I had to talk about." With recording sessions to document it in both Phoenix and Baskette’s hometown of Las Vegas, Jasper still sounds shaken by the relationship to this day. But listen closely to An Offer You Can’t Refuse and there’s a sense of maturity to his emotional purging that suggests a necessary attempt at moving forward. "Thing is, I was 17 when I wrote that record," Jasper insists. "I have a completely different perspective now."

The commitment A Change Of Pace have to these songs can, at times, be alarming; the range that Jasper flexes on the album’s brooding ballad "A Farewell To Friendship", for instance, was almost lost completely when his vocal chords demanded an emergency tonsillectomy. "It is scary when you think of it," the 20-year-old singer shrugs. "I was screaming every night. I was smoking. I was drinking. Me and Jack, you know, we have a love/hate relationship, and that kind of took its toll." With his throat now healed, though, and the band’s profile rising, A Change Of Pace are already looking to the future.

Product Description
Following up on their tremendous success of their debut album release An Offer You Can't Refuse, Arizona's A Change of Pace returns with their highly anticipated sophomore album Prepare The Masses.

Combining forces with acclaimed music producer Elvis Baskette, A Change of Pace have made a record that will prove as both groundbreaking and timeless. Featuring the lead single "Shoot From the Hip", A Change of Pace offers a thundering anthem that introduces a newfound maturity and urgency to their sound.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars It works... kind of., August 18, 2006

By	M. Waldrop (Buenos Aires, Argentina) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A Change of Pace's Prepare for the Masses feels like one of the most incredibly manufactured discs I've ever heard. With a sound that might remind you of a heavier mallpunk band, such as Fall Out Boy or Motion City Soundtrack, and lyrics that on the political songs are like a bad grass roots anti war movement(with "controversial" titles such as "How to Rape a Country"), and on the love songs just seem incredibly mundane.

You listen to the album, and start to wonder... "is this a joke? a parody?" But as you get through, you realize something. This is produced in an extremely slick package. You'll be humming along with the stuff, not even realizing it. As a pop album, even with the attempts to be cutting edge, it works incredibly well, especially on the electronic tinged "I'm Alive", the drum-heavy sexy "War in Your Bedroom", and quite possibly the strongest song on the album "I Wanna Be Your Rock-n-Roll", and it hits you.

It's an incredibly fun listen. It's short, clocking in at 42 minutes, but at the length it's at, it just works. And that's what I'd say about the album as a whole. It's got many, many flaws. It borders on mundane lyrically, the musicianship doesn't feel anything special, and the sound is extremely manufactured, but as you listen to this, you can't help but like it. So with that in mind, even though my brain is telling me to tell you to ignore this album, my gut is telling you to give it a listen and enjoy it... just don't expect anything revolutionary.

5.0 out of 5 stars ACOP, March 14, 2007

By	Heather Rhinehart "Heather" (CA) - See all my reviews

This CD is radio friendly, and should be listened to from start to finish letting the context of the music along with the lyrics take you to the special place inside your head. In other words, a person should give this CD a listen, and you will see not only are you dancing in your seat but you are actually enjoying the tunes. This is a young band who are just finding their space in the musical spectrum, and they have grown tremendously since their first album. This is the kind of group you can grow with and not out of in time. Check it out.

5.0 out of 5 stars Room To Grow, February 21, 2007

By	Cory T. Shaeffer "HockeyFanatic" (Pittsburgh) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

To all of the haters of this band and CD, please remember that this band is made up of a group of teenagers. For their young ages, this is quite an impressive effort. The opening track, along with "Take Care" and "Shoot From the Hip" are the strongest tracks, the rest falling between emo and pop-punk. This CD is quite mainstream and radio-friendly, but that dosen't mean it dosen't have its share of moments. And it does offer a lion's share of huge hooks and catchy riffs. Only thing is the relative similarity of many of the tracks...but if you like the sound, then that's just fine. This may not be the big breakout CD from this band just yet, but they have time to grow. It is a step in the right direction, especially lyrically. If these guys put it all together the next time out, look out.