The All-American Rejects

The All-American Rejects
Studio album by The All-American Rejects
Released	January 17, 2003 (see release history)
Recorded	2001–2002 at Mission Sound and Headgear Studio, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States
Genre	Alternative rock, power pop, pop punk
Length	42:54
Label	DreamWorks, Doghouse
Producer	Tim O'Heir
The All-American Rejects chronology
Same Girl, New Songs (2001) The All-American Rejects (2003) Move Along (2005)
Alternative cover
2002 Doghouse Records cover
Singles from The All-American Rejects
"Swing, Swing" Released: December 2, 2002 "The Last Song" Released: April 11, 2003 "Time Stands Still" Released: July 14, 2003 [1]

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
Alternative Press	[3]
Blender	[4]
Melodic.net	[5]
Now	[6]
Rolling Stone	[7]
Spin	A−[8]
Punktastic	[9]

The All-American Rejects is the self-titled debut studio album by American rock band The All-American Rejects, originally released on October 15, 2002 through Doghouse Records,^[10] before being re-released commercially by Dreamworks Records in 2003 on January 17 in Australia, February 4 in the United States and March 3 in the United Kingdom.^[11]

Production and marketing

The band duo of Tyson Ritter and Nick Wheeler recorded the album in New York City in 2001 after being signed by the independent label Doghouse Records, they later released The All-American Rejects on October 15, 2002. The album attracted the attention of DreamWorks Records, who signed The All-American Rejects to them and re-released their LP in early 2003, when it gained commercial success; earning a Gold Certification from Canada and a Platinum edition from the United States.

The All-American Rejects was released as a CD, a 12" vinyl pressed in orange (also pressed in a limited amount of red and blue) and a cassette tape exclusively in Indonesia.

Singles

The band's debut single "Swing, Swing" was released on December 2, 2002 when they were joined by two new members; Mike Kennerty on rhythm guitar and Chris Gaylor on drums - months after recording the album. "Swing, Swing" peaked at #8 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks in the United States and #13 on the UK Singles Chart respectively, gaining the band media attention on both sides of the Atlantic, a music video followed its release on January 7, 2003.^[12] The second single "The Last Song" was released on April 21, 2003 and charted on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks at #29 and the UK Singles Chart at #69, a music video followed its release a month later.

The band's third and final single from the album "Time Stands Still" was released on July 14, 2003,^[13] but gained no commercial success. A music video directed by Meiert Avis followed its release in the fall. The album's opening track "My Paper Heart" was later released in late 2003 as a promotional single - a music video made up of footage from the band's Live from Oklahoma... The Too Bad for Hell DVD! as well as their "Lost in Stillwater" documentary was released to help promote it.

Reception

The All-American Rejects received mixed reviews from music critics. Alternative Press rated the album 9 out of 10 stars while Spin magazine gave it a grade of A-.

Allmusic stated that The All-American Rejects are "A talented band destined for great things" and that "[The band] are capable songwriters, accomplished vocalists, and skilled instrumentalists. Guitar-driven and underpinned with a humane-sounding drum machine cranking out frenetic backbeats, each cut on this self-titled debut brims with harmonies that recall the early Who and classic Beach Boys.^[14] Kaj Roth of Melodic Net stated that the pop rock duo had "plenty of good vibes and catchy uptempo powerpop that will force the rain to take a hike and let the sun shine through", and favoured the song "Your Star"; saying it has "A superb groove that will make you ride a horse on the rodeo" and that "'Time Stands Still' will make the flowers bloom in the middle of winter." ^[15] Punktastic commented with "The first thing you realise about The All American Rejects is how young they are. The second is how much talent the duo have at such a young age. The guys haven't been around for a full three years yet, but are already riding the waves of popularity as this and you soon realise they are smothering initiative with music that will be plastered over MTV in no time." ^[16]

Elizabeth Bromstein of Now magazine was more negative towards the sound of the album and gave it a rating of 1 out of 5 stars, quoting "As if their horrifyingly overdone pop-punk thing weren’t bad enough, The All-American Rejects seem intent on embodying their name. Every last song on this record deals with lost love and loneliness. Incorporating the odd classic rock or 80s pop element doesn’t improve things. In fact, it makes it worse, since it feels like they’ve crammed everything they know in here." ^[17] Sputnikmusic gave the album an overall rating of 2 out of 5, saying that the album is "A terrible representation to pop-punk, which already has a damaged reputation. The overly excessive amount of awful to average songs is truly amazing", but however rated the closing track "The Last Song" 5 out of 5 stars.^[18]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Tyson Ritter and Nick Wheeler. 

Credits

Charts and certifications

Release history

References