The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - 'Lonely Road' Review

The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus move between pop, rock and punk so fluidly in their songs that it can be hard to know how to classify them. Consequently, Lonely Road, the group’s second album, is a hodgepodge of different sounds and moods – the only unifying factor is a commitment to slick commercial accessibility. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus may not be a challenging or groundbreaking band, but on the strength of this new record there’s no question that they’re a consistently pleasurable one.

Led by frontman Ronnie Winter, the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus specialize in high-impact tunes about universal situations – girlfriends, taking the big step into adulthood, and the optimism of youth. RJA’s first album was called Don’t You Fake It, a reference to Winter’s belief that he wanted his lyrics to be as honest as possible, and Lonely Road follows that dictum with another batch of personal, candid songs. Some will scoff at this group because their earnest sentiments are deeply uncool, but the material’s rousing quality feels both genuine and appropriately bighearted. “Hold on tight and enjoy the ride,” Winter sings exuberantly during “No Spell,” “This is all that we’ve got.” Those lyrics could very well be this band’s motto – when things are looking bad, at least we’ve always got catchy songs to make us feel better.

On Lonely Road, the band is unafraid to embrace full-on pop ballads complete with strings and sickly-sweet humanistic messages. Take “Believe,” where Winter sings, “I still believe/That there is more love than hate/There’s more heart than ache.” The song’s change-the-world message is almost pathetically touchy-feely, but the music’s soaring hopefulness is so insistent that even if it doesn’t convert cynics, well, it might at least give them pause. The incessant heart-on-its-sleeve sweep of the album’s ballads can get a little cloying after a while, but in small doses the band’s sincerity feels like a blow to the fashionable pessimism of some of their contemporaries.

But the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus aren’t just about syrupy sentiment. Lonely Road also has its up-tempo moments like the pop-punk “Pen & Paper,” a prototypical blast of tasty guitar rock that’s about a very familiar topic – telling off a girl who’s let the narrator down. While a track like “Pen & Paper” is pretty common among mainstream pop-punk bands, the Red Jumpsuit Apparatus make sure this ear candy is pleasingly executed. RJA repeat the trick later in the album with “Senioritis,” a bouncy number about the euphoria and dread associated with the end of a school year. The situations Winter sings about aren’t always that original on Lonely Road, but his take on common life experiences can be.

Lonely Road will appeal to fans of catchy pop-punk who love radio-friendly, crowd-pleasing songs. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus will never be accused of being a particularly deep or meaningful band, but their songs’ heartfelt sincerity isn’t shallow. There’s room in the world for enjoyable sonic diversions – and when you’re in the mood for something light and breezy, Lonely Road should fit the bill.

Best 'Lonely Road' Tracks:

“Pen & Paper” (Purchase/Download)
“Believe” (Purchase/Download)
“No Spell” (Purchase/Download)
“Senioritis” (Purchase/Download)
“Pleads and Postcards” (Purchase/Download)

Release date – February 3, 2009
Virgin Records