Album Reviews

- by Tom Dumarey

Well, this one sure came out of nowhere!

Fifteen years since their last release, ‘Right Here Where You Left Me’ came out barely a week after Avoid One Thing announced it. Vocalist/bassist Joe Gittleman said about the band’s third album that it has been in the works for a long time and finally came together when he needed it most. Which leaves the question... do we need this one as well?

For those of you who were still just wee little lads a decade and a half ago, Avoid One Thing is Joe Gittleman of Mighty Mighty Bosstones fame, along with guitarist Amy Griffin and John Lynch on drums. They previously released two solid albums, 2002’s self-titled one and 2004’s ‘Chopstick Bridge,’ both of which came out on Side One Dummy Records.

Opening with the title track, it quickly becomes obvious why both the song and the album are called ‘Right Here Where You Left Me’. It hangs somewhere between Jawbreaker and Replacements, making it pretty much vintage Avoid One Thing. Gittleman still sounds as weathered and weary as he did fifteen years ago while songs like ‘Disassembly Line’ and ‘Enemy’ counter the overall weariness by always sounding catchy and highly melodic without being too in-your-face about it.

If you like the abovementioned bands or are particularly fond of Bouncing Souls’ latest albums, it’s pretty much guaranteed you will like this one. Hell, there’s a reason the Souls covered Avoid One Thing’s ‘Lean On Sheena’. Guess it’s fair to say that ‘Right Here Where You Left Me’ is one of those album you didn’t know you needed.

Track listing:

1. Right Here Where You Left Me
2. Crashing Kites
3. Disassembly Line
4. All The Same To Me
5. Enemy
6. Fresh Pond Parkway
7. Solitary Man
8. A Million Maids & Janitors
9. Shutting Down The Radar
10. Better Left Alone
11. Where We End Our Days