Review
Let's dial it back to 2009 with AFI's "Crash Love," an album that struts down memory lane with its clean-cut rock vibes, ditching the emo anthem overcoat for something a bit more leather and a little less lace. This gem marks their eighth studio spin and heralds a sonic shift, sidestepping the electronic thicket of "Decemberunderground" for a jaunt through the valleys of straightforward rock. With Joe McGrath and Jacknife Lee at the helm, the album flexes its production muscles, showcasing the band’s knack for reinvention while still tipping a hat to their punk rock linage.
Trading in the layered synths for crisp guitar licks and opting out of the scream-o-meter entirely, "Crash Love" flirts with an ‘80s rock prom vibe that could broaden their fanbase—though, spoiler alert, it didn't climb the charts like its predecessors. Cuts like "Too Shy to Scream" and "Veronica Sawyer Smokes" crackle with energy, delivering an earworm payload with every track. Lyrically, Davey Havok gets up close and personal with the glitz and grit of celebrity culture, opting for a direct hit rather than poetic meanderings. Despite some fans and critics missing the old AFI mojo, and others giving the side-eye to its loud and dynamic-lacking production, "Crash Love" carves out its niche as a rock-solid entry in AFI’s discography. It might not have soared to the commercial stratosphere, but it sure knows how to rock the boat with style. - Leo
