Review: One Win Choice - Never Suspend Disbelief

Label: Jump Start Records

Released: October 23, 2007

There are two things that outsiders often attribute to punk rock: angst and nihilism. While both of these are prevalent even today, to assume that these two things the very core of punk dismisses an awful lot, among which is One Win Choice. They replace angst with anger and nihilism with hope. This is the punk rock that's spoken to me for over 20 years and anytime I hear it, it reminds me of why I still don't feel old and why my heart has yet to die.

Never Suspend Disbelief is an album fueled by righteous anger in a world gone wrong with the intensity of hardcore and just enough melody to serve up their message. One Win Choice is relentless across the half hour of time they spend spreading both music and message. The fatal flaw that many bands in this position face is placing ideology over humanity. I usually look for a little bit of humor to temper this, but One Win Choice finds another way. It is the grittiness, the commitment and the very human passion they convey that makes the music connect with anyone who's willing to listen. If there's any fire inside, Never Suspend Disbelief will fan those flames.

Singer Dan Kloza said the bands' goal is writing "meaningful songs and playing them as often and for as many people as possible." One listen to Never Suspend Disbelief and you'll convinced of the first part and hopeful that the second parts means an opportunity to catch them live soon.

At the end of "New Rome," the album's final track, they quote a Howard Zinn essay, "The U.S. is in search of an empire and it will fall as the Romans did. Remember when Ali fought Foreman. He seemed asleep but when he woke up he was ferocious. So will the people wake up." One Win Choice has woken up. What are you waiting for?

Rating: 8/10

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