Every Avenue was every inch the embodiment of emo pop in late 2009. From their look (asymmetrical haircuts and soulful stares) to their sound (spotless production, clean guitars, and a bit of Auto-Tune) they were located dead center in the mainstream of the style. Their second album,
Picture Perfect, is a tuneful, mostly melancholy affair that delves into broken relationships, broken hearts, and the girls who caused them, and for a change of pace, romantic struggles. It could have made for a disheartening slog through their heartbreak journals, but to their credit,
Every Avenue, and especially singer David Ryan Strauchman, show a real sensitivity to the material, and the mix of ballads and uptempo tracks keeps the album from getting bogged down in sadness. Overall, there isn’t any new ground being broken here, but the band retraces the steps of others with enough style and passion to make the album a satisfying listen. ~ Tim Sendra