The Starting Line play a brand of emo pop-punk which will be familiar to those with a knowledge of Drive-Thru Records. In what seems to be the next sub-mainstream indie rock fad, with an over saturation of the market, this style is highlighted by slick packaging (both of the CD and the band), a lack of diversity and creativity in the music, an association to either New Found Glory or
Get Up Kids, and poppy hooks which eventually grind into the listener's ears in pain like consumption of too much sugared candy. While bands like the Starting Line will no doubt sell many albums, true artistic creativity and diversity seem to lie outside this genre's potential. ~ Kurt Morris