The realization that
Paddock Park took their name from a neighborhood in their hometown of Ocala, Florida is somewhat indicative not only of the small-town narratives about small-time boy/girl relationships that dominate their songs, but also the narrow parameters explored by their music's utterly predictable emo/screamo template. But perhaps this is none of the bandmembers' faults, since, like dozens of suburban teens graduating from high school and heading into community colleges and "community bands" such as this, they've done their homework, earned their grades, and learned only that which their limited, literal, and musical education (courtesy of MySpace) made available to them, which is to say: not much. As a result,
Paddock Park's debut statement,
A Hiding Place for Fake Friends, offers your typical genre contrasts involving Cookie Monster growls and melodic singing courtesy of a neutered Glee Club president; the usual series of brutal deathcore breakdowns vs. emotionally anthemic choruses; and the frequent application of cheeky song titles (e.g. "Give Her a Pill to Shut Her Up or Make Her a Mute," "You Can Lift Your Dress Like Nobody's Business," "Hopeyoudiexo") to otherwise rudimentary makeup/breakup lyrics. Of note, the band fares a little better with the sweeter emo bits than the rougher screamo ones where the music is concerned, but flip the table in terms of their lyrics, thanks to surprisingly caustic post-breakup tirades, compared to the yawn-inducing romantic appeals. Inconsistency and redundancy rule the roost, though, forcing one to wade nine songs into the
Paddock Park quagmire before hitting upon a convincingly well-rounded tune called "Forgetting Alli Mae," its late-album placement suggesting the band were equally clueless about picking out a good song when they wrote one. In any case, this incident speaks yet again to the sextet's (soon to be a quintet) dire need for experience -- life, musical, etc. -- before they'll likely have something remotely original to say with their work. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia