Mock Orange deserve credit for making the best out of something that's been done over and over again.
The Record Play is the second full-length album for these Indiana natives and features crisp, catchy emo-pop and sensitive nice-guy lyrics. However, a wave of bands with this identical sound have emerged since the underground explosion of
The Get Up Kids and
The Promise Ring. Not that
Mock Orange blatantly rip off the aforementioned bands, moments like "She Runs the Ride" provide a nice sing-a-long of high pitch vocal harmonies. At the same time, it's hard to not get easily burned out of this style as long as everyone continues to mock this sound. ~ Mike DaRonco