All Star United ~ Smash Hits ~ Essential Records
Jordan E | Sunnyvale, TX | 11/22/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Put this one on in your car and cruise the highway for an hour or two. Their record label, Essential, has decided to drop them, but first they are releasing this Best Of album. It has songs from their two albums on Essential Records, as well as one remix and two new songs. The two new songs are both about a girl, which is explained by the fact that lead singer Ian Eskelin just got married last month. As for the music, I think all five of them were on a sugar high when they wrote most of these songs. PURE ENERGY! This is pure pop/rock because it's pop in that the lyrics and guitar parts are full of hooks and the songs will stick in your head all day, but it also rocks. This band has a reputation for writing songs that are so catchy you're singing along on the chorus before the song is even finished. Throughout the disc the rest of the band sings little backup parts (Ooohs, ba-ba-ba's, whistling, other things like that) that play in your ears all day. They sound like they have Beach Boys influences, not that it sounds old or stale or formulaic, it's just that much fun. It's hard to pin down another band that's comparable enough to mention as a similar artist, but Smashmouth might be one, since they both share the too-much-fun, pop-rock feel."
Awesome Collection of ASU
Doug Taylor | Tacoma, Washington | 06/12/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"All Star United has done it again. Although it is not a release of new material, it brings the old hits back to life for another go-around in CD players. This should be good enough to hold people over until an album with new songs come out. If you like this, I suggest their self-titled first album and "International Anthems for the Human Race." God bless!"