Crisis in Hollywood

Here's a disc and a band with a lot more going on than most people would expect. Granted it has a pop punk exterior, but with loads of double bass, gritty guitars and some pretty serious lyrics it should appeal to a broad spectrum of listeners. I'm instantly reminded of Anchors For Arms, Yellowcard, and Converge; an unlikely trio yes, but they're three great tastes that taste great together when you toss in just the right amount of catchy hooks and memorable choruses. Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea is one of those discs that you can just grab off the shelf and hit play no matter what mood you're in. I loaded it into my iPod and expect it to be there for a long time. - Evil Needles.com

There's no denying a catchy song when you hear it and this disc has at least three. It's exactly what you need to wean your little sister off of that one Fall Out Boy album she's had on repeat for the last two years.
- Prick Magazine - February 2008

album review
crisis in hollywood
Safe And Sound
Financial Records

Score - A

The last time Bayside singer, Anthony Raneri, attached his name to a non-Bayside band, I lambasted them and got all kinds of crap for it. But I stand by my review of that other band, and so with that in mind, it should be understandable that I'd be reluctant to hear Crisis in Hollywood, a band that Raneri has produced.

Safe and Sound starts off with a bombastic title track and it pretty much goes up hill from there.

There are several reasons why I should hate this band: they play a sophomoric brand of pop-punk, their singer, Adrian Snyder, sounds like "Evening Out with Your Girlfriend"-era Patrick Stump and, if anything, they sound suspiciously close to defunct Chicago outfit, Knockout. But those are the exact reasons why I found this band so charming.

These days, pop-punk bands are relegated to being nothing more than DayGlo t-shirts and cheap gimmicks (Fight Fair, Freshman 15, etc.) and the bands that are good own up more to their hardcore roots than their power pop side (Fireworks, A Loss for Words). Crisis in Hollywood is a pop-punk band that isn't cheesy and doesn't try to downplay their sound by having ill-placed breakdowns.

Songs like "The Upside" and "Walking Right into a Nightmare" are two tunes that display the band's variety in songwriting well. As a whole, "Safe and Sound" recaptures the consistency of listening to a mid-'90s Fat Wreck band – there are mostly fast numbers here, with a few mid-tempo spots, such as "Don't Overact," to break up the monotony.

The sign of a great album is that it plays like a mixtape; it's moody, yet aesthetically pleasing. Safe and Sound is one such record, and I think that this band definitely has the chance to outshine some of their lesser peers. - Redefine Magazine

Crisis in Hollywood – Between The Devil and The Deep Blue Sea

Crisis in Hollywood – Between The Devil and The Deep Blue Sea / 2008 Financial / 13 Tracks / http://www.crisisinhollywood.com /

Crisis in Hollywood consists of a number of members from acts that have all gained some sort of notoriety in their respective region’s music scenes. This means that there are members that spent time in From Adam to Atom, Timebomb, Ask Me Later, and The Staredown. While each of those acts were good in their own right (even though I was not too familiar with From Adam to Atom), Crisis in Hollywood represents a serious step forward for each member. The quality of the band’s output was so high, in fact, that they gained the attention of former Victims of Circumstance and Mighty Mighty Bosstones members, who gave the green light for Crisis In Hollywood to go forward.

Despite the fact that the band has only been around for a little bit over 2 years, the compositions on “Between the Devil” are incredibly mature. In fact, the opening track, “The Fashion of the Christ”, is incredibly energetic while still having a very intricate set of arrangements. What results is a merging of emo and punk rock that, while somewhat similar to Yellowcard, surpasses that band’s output from the get go. “Like A Wave” continues much of the same sound as “The Fashion of the Christ”, but tweaks the vocals to reflect more of an Alkaline Trio influence. The straight-forward, driving drum beats keeps the rest of the band on task, while the vocals have a force behind them that keeps pace with the sizzling guitar lines that ride alongside them.

Any of the disc’s 13 cuts could conceivably be rocketing up the CMJ charts; all it takes are the right individuals to hear this album and the band would be ready to be picked up by a major, or (if they decide not to go that route) being played on rock stations all across the United States. The title track, which ends the disc, is without any argument the best track on the album. The band icksthings up quite a few notches, inserting metal and hardcore influences to their overall sound. Where acts like Coheed and Cambria were able to inject a minor amount of storytelling into their albums, Crisis In Hollywood are able to create an epic that links together Queens of the Stone Age, the aforementioned Alkaline Trio and Coheed, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and even acts like From First To Last to make what is the current face of rock music. The act will be big; I guarantee it.

Top Tracks: Sin on My Lips, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

Rating: 8.4/10 - NeuFutur Magazine

This first thing that came to mind while I was listening to the album was, "Did these guys do that 'Check Yes Juliet' song?" Turns out no, that was We the Kings but these guys sound just as good.

Safe and Sound is one of the most lively albums I've heard in a while, and I've heard a lot. It is fun and upbeat; just the thing you need for a quick pick me up. While the lyrics could be somewhat better, the music is what really gets you. They've been called pop rock on steroids but really, I don't see much of the pop in them. Besides, why haven't I heard them on the radio then?

If your in the mood for something fresh and original, definitely check out Crisis in Hollywood. Their music is inspiring and fun so you will not be disappointed. I plan to check out their earlier hits and so should you. - Shakefire

Crisis in Hollywood has provided a sophomore CD that has far surpassed their debut to make you take more notice and listen to “Safe and Sound” more intently. They have upped their maturity of sounds and their quality of performance to make this an album that crosses many genres to delight most any listener but still stays true to their rock/punk signature sound.

They cleverly use tempo changes to emphasize some of the best lyrics found recently on an album. These lyrics run the gamut of feelings and passions and focus on life’s battles and tribulations. One track that best showcases this talented use of tempo, lyrics and amazing musical performance is “The Upside” where the vocals and changeups match the twists and turns of the lyrical content perfectly. A deep bass bridge is skillfully used to emphasize the darker and sad portion of the lyrics. This is just one example to perfectly illustrate how well the band uses their talents to make the entire twelve tracks worth listening to intently to catch these adroit nuances. “Breakup/Breakdown” is the quintessential relationship song with pure pop sounds that take you on an oddly enjoyable journey of one of life’s hardest lessons. “Nobody Blames You” is one of those songs that you so enjoy listening to that you are not really aware how serious the lyrics meaning truly are and you just feel you are listening to a great catchy rock/punk tune that is really well performed.

The standout signature of Crisis in Hollywood is their ability to write and execute music that is catchy and commercially viable but actually pays such meticulous attention to articulate lyrics along with all other aspects of their performance. They have become safe in their sounds by making high energy pop/punk music with just enough rock and slower ballads to capture almost any genre music lover that appreciates remarkable music performed strikingly well! - Muen Magazine

This first thing that came to mind while I was listening to the album was, "Did these guys do that 'Check Yes Juliet' song?" Turns out no, that was We the Kings but these guys sound just as good.

Safe and Sound is one of the most lively albums I've heard in a while, and I've heard a lot. It is fun and upbeat; just the thing you need for a quick pick me up. While the lyrics could be somewhat better, the music is what really gets you. They've been called pop rock on steroids but really, I don't see much of the pop in them. Besides, why haven't I heard them on the radio then?

If your in the mood for something fresh and original, definitely check out Crisis in Hollywood. Their music is inspiring and fun so you will not be disappointed. I plan to check out their earlier hits and so should you. - Shakefire