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Ace Enders & A Million Different People
When I Hit the Ground
Review By Andy Argyrakis
As leader of the Early November, Ace Enders is already familiar to pop/rock/alternative audiences. Besides releasing an online solo album last year, the singer-songwriter put together an all-star cast (including players from Blink 182, the Starting Line and Chiodos) to cover the Verve’s “Bittersweet Symphony” with all proceeds going to VH1’s Save the Music. As the title implies, When I Hit the Ground finds the former front man running with full steam ahead. The project takes cues from Early November but also suggests an increased maturity, coupled with the relatively new backing band A Million Different People.
Enders looks to legendary underground influences, most notably Jets To Brazil and the Promise Ring throughout the emotionally charged “Reintroduction.” Listeners continue to get reacquainted with the tunesmith via the Early November-inspired energy of “Take the Money and Run,” the purebred pop of “The Only Thing I Have (The Sign)” and the encircling, Jimmy Eat World-leaning “SOS.” There’s also a piano pop thread that runs throughout the record, with the title track and “Leader” drawing parallels to Jack’s Mannequin, but with much mightier vocals than that band’s Andrew McMahon. The same can be applied when compared to Dashboard Confessional figurehead Chris Carrabba throughout “Emergency” and “Bring Back Love,” which balance muscle with melody and are surely acoustic guitar anthems in the making. Enders may sing of growing pains across When I Hit the Ground, but he seems more comfortable in his own skin than ever before.
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