From the chaotic opener "And the Hero Will Drown," until the complete frenzy of "Falling Down," St. Louis'
Story of the Year shows a persistent flare for the dramatic on their debut disc from Maverick Records. Taking influence from a variety of modern rock, the quintet delivers a solid,
Dashboard Confessional-like spirited first effort from beginning to end. They slow down on crunchy ballads like "Anthem of Our Dying Day," "Swallow the Knife," and "Sidewalks," showing that
Story of the Year can be graceful and melodic as well as relentless. Energetic outbursts like "In the Shadows," "Razorblades," and the title track "Page Avenue" shows a band hell-bent on composing youthful anthems for the 21st century, hitting their target more often than not. Produced by John Feldman of Goldfinger, Dan Marsala's unyielding vocals certainly highlight the disc, along with the band's steady and layered instrumentation. The band's energy feeds off of agitation and frustration, and while they don't really offer anything new, their solid execution of the 12 songs on
Page Avenue certainly impresses. ~ Stephen Cramer