I like romantic comedies. I realize that is not the most macho admission I could make, but I am okay with that. When pressed as to "Why?" by my friends, I have come to understand that I like the journey even when the destination is assured. I mean, no one watches a romantic comedy and says "I never saw that coming!" The beauty of the romantic comedy is that the end is never really in doubt. The beauty is in the getting there. And I mention all of this because?....

Pop Punk and Romantic Comedies have more in common than you might think. The key to both is balancing strong adherence to the formula while adding a few different touches to make it stand out. How does Alakrity's Whatever Happened to Good TV? stack up?

Musically, this is radio-friendly pop punk that is well produced and fairly infectious. A tip of the hat to Dan Needham who produced and mixed the record. The band sticks to the script with plenty of three chord riffs and layered vocals throughout much of the record. They include the obligatory thoughtful, mid-tempo track "Just Words" to show that they also have a serious side. Lyrically, there are enough God references to make it clear that this is a Christian band, while including the right amount of teen and high school angst that is a must on a pop punk record. Don't forget the somber, acoustic closing track that leaves you wanting more. This record is a great fit with bands like Eleventyseven, Hawk Nelson, or Stellar Kart.

Don't forget to make the packaging funny and pop-culture savvy. All in all, Whatever Happened to Good TV? fits conveniently into all the preordained trappings. It is a good pop punk record.

But wait, there's more! Track two is a cover of the Petra classic "Beyond Belief." And it features John Schlitt, the original voice behind the song. That is final touch to make it stand out among the sea of pop punk bands out there. Like the best Romantic Comedies, Alakrity hits every note to remain true to the genre, while adding enough to be memorable.

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 Record Label: None
 Album length: 11 tracks
 Street Date: July 1, 2008 (digital) / November 11, 2008 (CD)
 Buy It: iTunes

1. Good Luck, We're All Counting On You. (2:33)
2. Beyond Belief (3:45)
3. A Better Me (4:10)
4. The Truth Is (2:45)
5. A Friend's Point of View (2:52)
6. Just Words (3:36)
7. After How Hard I Tried (3:08)
8. Wait Up (3:18)
9. Seven Minutes After (3:14)
10. Abbey's Song (3:53)
11. Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1:20)