The Stand In

**editor's pick of the month**

Now here's a well rounded working class band from New Jersey the home of "The Boss"
Bruce Springsteen, if he's the boss then I quit! HaHa I always wanted to say that.
If anything The StandIn are a great band with a strong guitar driven style.They seem to have the total package.The rhythms are clean and tight the melodies are catchy they even have some fucking kickass tasteful hard rockin solo's with not a lot of flash and flare.
The vocalist is on it,and he puts some real energy and emotion in the songs that remind me a little of AFI or even Bad Religion. From what I heard I like the way its all put together.
Its like the singer uses his voice as an instrument.
I thinks its safe to say The StandIn, are emotional without being EMO! - Jenn Pavia

Review For 'No Stars Left In NJ' from Curtis Lowell at MakeAStar.com

Music = 9
Even though you repeat your chord sequence for most of the song, your melodies and lyrics create enough sense of tension and release that the song delivers musically on all counts. The chord sequence is good and your enthusiasm carries the word-driven melodies.

Lyrics = 9
A masterpiece of blunt-speak. Your poetry is in your meaning, not in your word choices. But it works, again, because of your conviction and your central premise. Your theme is extremely timely as the powerful elements in the world economy are seizing the day to squeeze all the uniqueness out of the world and corner every possible market they can identify.

Arrangement & Production = 10
True to the genre, this arrangement balances the repeating chord to excellent effect by rocking the dynamics. The arrangement follows the vocal to a large extent and you've done a great job in making the track sound spontaneous. The recording is excellent as well.

Lead Vocal = 9
Although the vocal isn't a classic vocal by industry standards, the energy and truth-conveying righteousness with which you deliver the performance makes it nearly perfect. Making the vocal compete for space with the band is a good effect, as it mimics the dynamics of a live performance.

Musicianship = 10
Ripping all the way through. All the instruments are played with prowess as well as sensitivity. The guitars are a study in how contrasting sounds can compliment each other. The rhythm section is kicking and in total synch. Plus you've mixed all the dynamics seamlessly into the performance.

Originality = 10
As I usually note, total originality is almost impossible after 50 years of Rock''n''Roll, but you make your own mark on this track. Today, originality means sounding like yourself and making the music fresh, no matter how derivative a style might be. You score all the way on this one.

Marketability = 10
I can't see any problem fitting into the current rock scene. You sound like an angry Jimmy Eat World; enough melody and roll in your rock to not sound punk, but your blitzkrieg energy captures all the frustration and dashed hope of today's youth. Truly, the only hope is faith in your own energy to make a difference and you voice the anxiety over the state of the planet all thinking people feel.

General Comments:
You're already there, but if you need a manager or agent to get your music to the industry, find one fast before the grind burns you out. A lot of musicians are relasing their own stuff; you could start out that way, but I'd look for a good record deal because you have the goods the majors can promote. But beware, it is cutthroat economics and the usual contract will not be in your favor. Don't be afraid to ask for what you want.

Overall Score: 9.571 - Curtis Lowell