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Best punk album I've heard since 1995

J Lee Harshbarger | Ypsilanti, MI United States | 08/03/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I ranked this album at #7 in my Favorite CDs of 2002. The last time a punk album hit my top 10 was 1995 when The Offspring and Green Day were in my top rankings. I've gotten a number of punk albums since then, but most punk albums sound like the same song played 14 times; they're nice when you're in the mood for such music but otherwise, not compelling.Enter The Undecided. Here is a punk group in which the various songs actually sound like different songs instead of the same one played 14 times. Here is a group with memorable tunes and top-notch lyrics to boot. Musically, sometimes they remind me of Jimmy Eat World, which I doubt that people consider to be punk, so maybe these guys are borderline punk, but after considering this point, I have concluded that they are definitely a PUNK band, just so good that they cannot be written off as a generic punk band.As good as the music is, though, I think what got this group into my top 10 is the lyrics. I would like to give you some samples of the lyrics from my three favorite songs on the album.From "Lifted":
i've fallen again / another thorn in your crown / another spear in your side / a mockery to your name / because of your unfailing love / you still choose to call me son / even though i always break your heart you still hold on to meWow, what powerful lyrics! The next song I'd like to feature is of a lyrical theme we don't hear much about in Christian music; I'm glad these guys have brought this subject up front.From "Cries For Jubilee"
you're a master of demographics / multinational honed to an art / build it cheaper with foreign plastics / work for a dime or we'll tear you apart / you've got a plan to gain the world / capitalism in the name of christianity / all the while the impoverished nations pray for the day when you'll finally see / the ethics of your scam / the blood stains on your hand / you've got a plan to gain the world"WE DON'T WANT YOUR AMERICAN JESUS, SYSTEM OF CAPITAL GAIN! ENTICING WITH HOPE WHILE YOU BIND US, SLAVES TO DEBTS WE CAN NEVER REPAY!"Man, I don't remember hard-hitting political lyrics like that in Christian music since Larry Norman's "The Great American Novel" and "Six O'Clock News" way back in 1972! Of course there's a lot of Christian music out there, so I might have just missed it, but this is the first I'VE heard since then. And I love these lyrics--I get so irritated with the mentality of always going to the people who will suffer the most just to have a job, just so we can have things cheap. And to much of the world we're seen as a Christian country; even our government tends to view itself based on Judeo-Christian principles. But taking advantage of others is not a part of those principles.Another notable song is "What Happened To Our Love," which is about the response of some toward a girl who had an abortion--"So you call her a murderer...what happened to our love?" It contains hard hitting lyrics that bring to light the complicated place of loving the sinner but hating the sin. I know there are some who would say about this girl and even truly say to her, "You're a murderer!" But, what happened to our love? Can we really throw the first stone? An excellent song for thinking about things like this.Lyrically, I'd say this album is the strongest of any I heard in 2002; musically, it's also very strong, and the best punk album I've heard since 1995."

A VERY UNIQUE TYPE OF PUNK!

Michael L. Wrigglesworth | West Seneca, NY | 08/09/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Undecided rocks! I like every song on this CD. They combine fast guitar and drums with punked up vocals and melodic background vocals. I picked up this album yesterday, not knowing what to expect. I like all 11 tracks. Tooth and Nail has done it again. Check this CD out if you like melodic punk. For fans of mxpx, noggin toboggan, and broken cedars."