Pitchfork

The band name evokes fond Bad Brains remembrances, and excitedly, I pop the circular plate of promise into my player. A wave of ambivalence sweeps over me as I conclude almost immediately that the parallels to the mighty Bad Brains are likely to exist in name only; however, the surrogate sounds taking over my disappointed expectations sound promising nonetheless. "Maybe Tomorrow" follows the familiar footings of many Epitaph and Fat Wreck bands-- a drum beat borrowed from the Bad Religion catalog, layered with distorted but harmless guitars, extremely loyal bass lines, relatively tame vocals and harmonies. Although the pattern has become rather formulaic, and consequently dull in recent years, this first track manages to involve sufficient distinctions to grab the ear.

Unfortunately, by track four, my interest is waning quickly. Essentially, these are all songs we've heard before, albeit in a more convincing sense. I Against I, rather than pledging musical allegiance to pioneering D.C. hardcore/ punk as their name suggests, seem almost entirely devoted to the likes of MXPX and No Use for a Name; good bands in their own right, but not the sort that lend themselves well to excessive imitation. Songs plod along in their own effervescent and good- natured way, but rarely do they upturn anything of marked import or interest. A few songs do rise above the otherwise undistinguished herd-- most notably "Ordinary Fight" and "The Bottom," songs redeemed by their extremely catchy choruses-- but overall, the songs fall into a spectrum of emotional gray mostly detached from the ebullient sense of energy and excitement meant to accompany this mode of music.

Bill Stevenson and Stephen Egerton from the Descendents and All handle the production on Headcleaner and do an excellent job of bringing the music into as clear and convincing focus as possible, but unfortunately for the band's sake, it's not enough. Perhaps in the future I Against I will take more pointers from the fathers of their band name, the Bad Brains, and seek to break beyond not only the boundaries imposed by their style of music, but by their own creations as well.