All Systems Go Mon Chi Chi

It's harmless stuff I suppose and if shamelessly unoriginal punk-pop is your thing, All Systems Go may be well worth a listen. Long-time readers of No Ripcord will be all too aware of my indifference towards this overcrowded and largely uninteresting genre, so when I tell you that All Systems Go are surprisingly tolerable, it comes out sounding kinda like a compliment. And in a way it is. Songs like Tell Vicki (chorus goes "Tell Vicki that her shirt's on backwards") and the Greg Dulli-penned Fascination Unknown may be throwaway pop numbers at best but it would take a more miserable man than myself to dislike their sugary melodies.

Of course, the career path of All Systems Go is already clearly marked out. They might be lucky and score a hit on the back of another formulaic teen comedy but if this avenue fails, an endless stream of early afternoon slots on the Warped Tour should provide ample consolation (and a means of paying the bills).

Too inoffensive for the punk crowd and too unremarkable for the pop kids, All Systems Go are never going to be huge; after one listen to Mon Chi Chi that is glaringly obvious. Fortunately, they don't strike me as the kind of band that crave fame; they seem to be enjoying making music and in this day and age, that's got to count for something? Maybe. They're still getting 5/10 though.