Critical Me

Critical Me- Promised Land
Monday, December 10, 2007, 05:22 PM - CD Reviews
Posted by CW Ross
Artist: Critical Me
Title: Promised Land
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/criticalme
CDBaby: http://cdbaby.com/cd/criticalme
Style: Punk
Label: Magnitude 6.19 Records
Rating: 8.4 out of 10
By Senior Writer C.W. Ross

Critical Me started in December of 2001 in their hometown of San Diego, CA. In late 2006 the band signed with Magnitude 6.19 Records and released their debut album Promised Land in October of 2007.

The band's lineup is, Caleb Bledsole (vocals), Chris Buckel (guitar), Josh Peter (drums), and Carl Muheim (bass).

On Promised Land you'll find eleven tracks of straight ahead punk music. This isn't some generic mix of pop punk. No this is punk music like it was meant to with blistering guitar parts along with head spinning rapid drum beats.

The vocals are rich and belt out messages challenging us to be more proactive on social and political issues. Here's the concept behind the band's name, " Critical Me, was based on individuals being critical of and challenging the social and political boundaries that are forced upon us. We wanted to convey this message with energetic punk rock, as our major influences are Pennywise, Bad Religion, and Lagwagon.Using this foundation ."

One little warning this release does have a raw edge to it so the F-word is used about a dozen or so times on it.

The band has a growing fan base with over 57,000 MySpace friends and their songs receiving upwards of 48,000 plays.

With both the music and social conscience found on Promised Land I think that it's well worth your time listening to, and being driven to action by it to do your part to make this world a better place.

Also as part of the band's proactive attitude the band is part of a Compilation CD with 17 other San Diego bands who have all joined together to prevent teenage drunk driving. The band's selected their song, "Halfway Home" to be on that release. You can find out more information about purchasing the CD on the band's MySpace page.
- http://www.indiemusicstop.com/

Critical Me
By Ollie
Published December 20, 2007
[Hometown from previous weeks]

Album: Promised Land (2007)
Artist: Critical Me
Label: Magnitude 6.19 Records
Where available/price: Lou's Records, Off the Record, Music Trader, and Spin Records for $10. Online at Smartpunk.com, and CDBaby.com for $10, and iTunes.com for $9.99.
Songs: 1) Promised Land 2) No Escape 3) Russian Roulette
4) Halfway Home 5) Excuses 6) King Greed 7) Going Nowhere
8) Through My Eyes 9) Armageddon 10) Waiting in Line
11) Same Ol' Bullshit
Band: Caleb Bedsole (vocals), Chris Buckel (guitar), Carl Muheim (bass), Josh Peter (drums)
Website: criticalme.com



Every new punk band spawns its own subgenre or sub-subgenre. There's Southern California Whine Punk, popularized by the vocal stylings of Tom DeLonge from blink-182. There's Happy Poppy Whine Punk, Uplifting Punk, Emo-Crossed Punk, the Ol' Middle Finger I Gotcher Punk Right Here Punk, and a thousand others. They all sound slightly different, but the difference exists. Pissed-off rocking fills many a varied bottle.

Critical Me is different because it falls neatly into the category spawned by almost-famous Pennywise -- the subgenre being, "Not Whiny, but Disgusted with Most Every Aspect of American Life Punk." They've got the rhythm speed and indignation of Pennywise, as well as the lead vocals -- rougher, ragged, and manlier than most SoCal Whine Punk sissy bands. Thank God. Another Whine Punk CD crosses my desk, and I'm going to eat my computer speakers.

All in all, Critical Me is a talented band that plays tight and coordinated punk. Peter pops the skins with skill, and Muheim's bass keeps the driving pace required by quick music. A good night of High Skill San Diego Punk would be a team-up of Fifty on Their Heels with Critical Me at a clean dive like the Kensington Club.

- San Diego Reader

San Diego California's Critical Me, formed in December 2001 and just now released their debut album. I'm not sure why it took nearly 6 years to do, but the end result is a great punk rock album. In a day and age when the Warped Tour's version of punk doesn't seem to gel with the type of punk music I like, I was happy when I popped this CD in and heard 11 tracks that clock in at just a hair over 30 minutes, and sounded to me like a band heavily influenced by Bad Religion, one of my favorite punk bands. Later reading their bio I saw this, "... our major influences our (sic) Pennywise, bad Religion, and Lagwagon." Yes, Yes, Yes! If there is anything negative to say about this album, is that they sound so influenced by Bad Religion I suspect I could play this for some of my friends and they'd wonder if it was a new Bad Religion CD. But that's really not a negative, is it?
- blowupradio.com

"Promised Land"
Critical Me
Magnitude 6.19 Records

Stylistically, San Diego's Critical Me has almost nothing in common with The Clash or Ramones other than the tenuous thread that all three are punk bands. But like those two legendary outfits, Critical Me has a seemingly innate ability to blend the exuberant anarchy of punk with great melodies.

On what is apparently the band's debut, it presents 11 songs that have the manic energy of the best punk. Chris Buckel's attacks each melody on guitar, while Caleb Bedsole's smooth yet powerful vocals apply a coat of polish that gives the band's music a radio-friendly accessibility.

"Halfway Home" is a hit in waiting, with its soaring chorus, great melody and memorable guitar riffs.

Critical Me plays Saturday at 'Canes in Mission Beach and Dec. 2 at The Jumping Turtle in San Marcos.

– Jim Trageser
Staff writer

- North County Times

Critical Me

A Mentality

In the ever so popular San Diego punk scene, it is difficult for bands to make their own unique presence known. This is due to the simple fact that everybody and their mother has started a punk band these days, sloshing their way through three chord progressions and slobbering vocals as they shout out "praise be to the godfathers of punk rock music!" It’s enough to make Joey Ramone do somersaults in his grave. Then, once in a while, you come across a band that has been punk for so long that they seem to have the formula for good old fashioned punk rock music branded on their foreheads - enter Critical Me.

The band is fronted by Caleb, a small man, a quiet man and a man with the honesty in his voice and the years under his belt to give it to you straight up. He does not give a crap what you think about him or his music. If you don’t like it, get the hell outta the stadium. Punk rock cliché, you say? Piss off! Any asshole can formulate these words but few will actually live by them.

In the sea of San Diego punk, Critical Me has emerged as a progressive and innovative band, pounding out their own brand of in-your-face, “God save the queen” rawk. With an arsenal of lyrical encouragement, Caleb shouts his well deserved angst into the crowd and dares all who listen to “get off their asses and make something of their lives”. A mighty and unabashed statement that has become a real life axiom for this local band. Rebels in their own right, Critical Me is a band with chivalry in their souls and a true belief in punk rock music.
- SD Music Matters

Critical Me was featured in the band watch section of the 10th Anniversary edition of No Cover magazine with Linkin Park on the cover. This magazine is distributed nationally at Barnes & Nobles and other distributors with over 20,000 issues printed. The magazine came with a free compilation CD that included Halfway Home by Critical Me

www.nocover.com - No Cover