This or That: The All-American Rejects? Or Just Another Crappy Local Band?

Welcome to This or That, the weekly segment here on DC9 where we stream an unmarked song and ask, simply enough, "Is this [POP BAND X] or just another crappy local band?" Why? Because we don't think you'll be able to tell the difference between the real thing and the...

By Pete Freedman

January 23, 2009

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Welcome to This or That, the weekly segment here on DC9 where we stream an unmarked song and ask, simply enough, "Is this [POP BAND X] or just another crappy local band?"

Why? Because we don't think you'll be able to tell the difference between the real thing and the crappy, cheap knockoff.

Angst, angst, more angst, bitterness, drama and frontmen who become stars of such surefire Hollywood classics as The House Bunny: The formula behind the All-American Rejects' mainstream pop and rock format radio success is pretty simple.

But, aside from the pretty much formulaic--and wildly popular--first single off the band's latest release, When The World Comes Down, the band gets downright experimental on this release. Well, for them at least. Which is to say maybe not that experimental at all.

So, the question this week: Is this track one of the Oklahoma band's more out-of-the-norm attempts? Or is just a crappy local band that maybe only sounds like the Rejects because tis singer has the same range?

You tell us...

Guess away in the comments section, and we'll reveal the answer at some point next week. Meanwhile, if you're still trying to figure out if last week's This or That was 311 or just some crappy local band, well, you're gonna have to jump to find out the answer...

Actually, a couple of commenters got it right: It wasn't 311. Just local band Egress, performing its song "Better Way". Go figure, right?

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