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There is a time and a place for in-your-face obnoxiousness. Pep rallies, for example. Or political campaigns. Or cheesy TV commercials. Unless you're cheering at a football game, running for office, or trying to sell soda, though, the high-energy sonic bubblegum of the Orange County Supertones is moderately amusing, at best.

The Supertones' latest record, Hi-Fi revival, is yet another contemporary Christian rock album that sounds more like propaganda than art, likely due to the fact that...well, it is more like propaganda than art. In a time when Christian artists should be overflowing with meaningful messages of hope for our broken, terrified, post-9/11 world, the Supertones offer little more than stale cliches, lyrics that may look good on T-shirts, but fail to bring any substance to this musically solid disc.

The most glaring example of trite Christian bumper sticker slogans (say, didn't lyricist Matt Morginsky preach against those on the band's previous album?) comes in the form of "Forever," which boasts not only such profound sentiments as "I've never had this feeling like someone really loves me/ but Jesus really loves me" but also one of the most creative choruses to come along in years: Morginsky repeating the word "forever" until the listener wishes he or she was deaf. Sarcasm aside, it's this kind of self-important, preachy, and banal fluff that generates a lack of interest in the church among believers, and makes a lot of us Christians make a mad dash for a good "secular" CD, many of which have far more spiritual relevance than this stuff.

Fortunately for the Supertones, many of their fans care far more about having a rocking soundtrack for their daily activities than poetry and introspection, and, if good, clean, youth group-friendly rock is what you crave, then the Supertones are sure to satisfy. On the heels of their new home back at Tooth and Nail Records and farther from their ska-core roots than ever before, the California quintet serves up a scrumptious platter of exuberant party tunes with Hi-Fi Revival.

The group found inspiration for the album in classic soul and pop records, and their emphasis on melody and funky instrumentation is evident from the get-go with the hip-hop flavored "Superfly," a declaration of intent that harkens back to _Supertones Strike Back_. Elsewhere, the band offers up bouncy surf-pop on "Go Go Go" and the fast-paced headbanger "Glory Hallelujah," two songs that clearly demonstrate why this band has developed such a loyal following among teenage listeners.

With musical influences as diverse as rap, swing, and classic R&B, not to mention a brass section that has never sounded better, it's a shame the Supertones resorted to penning such preachy, shallow lyrics. Still, the album is not totally without merit; if you're in need of a contagiously fun soundtrack for a long drive or a fall bash, revive your music collection with the contagiously fun yet unfortunately insipid sounds of the Supertones.

Josh Hurst 10/21/2002

The O.C. Supertones have reunited once again this year for their second release of 2002, Hi-Fi Revival, and it is a fairly good release at that.

Hi-Fi Revival starts things off with the upbeat track they used for their new video, Superfly, and then moves on to the slower track "Brand New Thing." The tempo keeps changing like that throughout the rest of the album, from ballads (IE: "Go, Go, Go") to the extremely fast-paced tracks (IE: the amazing "Perfect Love"). That’s not necessarily a bad thing though, as they are mixed together rather well and make for an enjoyable experience.

While the album is done quite well both musically and lyrically (the signature Supertones sound is definitely present), I find that their albums just haven’t been as good since Strike Back. Sure, they all have been amazing, but nothing can beat their sophomore release!

If you are a fan of the Supertones, without a doubt I suggest you buy this album. If you aren’t really familiar with the group, consider giving them a listen, they really are a talented bunch of guys.

Josh McConnell  10/27/02