Reggie and the Full Effect

Reggie and the Full Effect's man-behind-the-curtain James Dewees will be the first to dance on Emo's grave, literally. He's the kind of mad genius that every scene has, but often fails to properly recognize and acknowledge. If that's the case, then Last Stop: Crappy Town is his manifesto. Dewees had monumental stints in The Get Up Kids and Coalesce, two acts that undoubtedly impacted modern alternative substantially. He was even a touring keyboardist for My Chemical Romance, Emo's resident kings of pain. Dewees has been at the eye of the scene's storm for some time, but he's always had the same beaming, you-don't-want-to-know-what-I-just-did look on his face. Reggie and the Full Effect is his playground, and he's swinging on the monkey bars more fast and furious than ever on the latest Reggie record.

Within Reggie, he's able to blend poppy punk melodies with gnashing, metallic guitars and synthy dance beats, but it's all acceptable in this realm. On Last Stop, he's taken that sound to the next level. This is an angrier and more mature James Dewees, and the album's undeniably raw and heavy. One contributing factor is no doubt the bludgeoning bass devastation brought by Slipknot's Paul Gray. The low end simply rips throughout the entire record, rumbling like a tank on the horizon. The first song "G" is classic Reggie, as Dewees rants about his psychiatrist and Jesse James, announcing his newfound life over a club-ready chorus. "F" serves up a heavy dose of groove, while "J" has a dance beat that morphs right into a feral growl. Bringing from tradition a bit, "V" bears an Alice In Chains-style intensity, while the closing track "N" mirrors the pensive, despair nature of vintage Nine Inch Nails.

James has gone and made the perfect Reggie record. Now, Crappy Town's the place to be, and he's the mayor.

—Rick Florino
06.17.08

Prior to the release of Last Stop: Crappy Town, the albums for James Dewees' side project Reggie and the Full Effect tended toward a blend of emo and punk-pop, but it would be misleading to brand them exclusively as such. Instead, each effort was generally marked by its free-spirited approach to playing with a number of styles, as evidenced by the 2005 release Songs Not to Get Married To, which dabbled in everything from screamo to indie electronica. Last Stop: Crappy Town is another eclectic offering, though a darker tone and reliance on screamo form the core of the album and make it a far different listen than his previous works. The music is harder and more aggressive, but Dewees shifts his quirkiness from music to lyrics, as evidenced on "J" where he sings, "Heard what you said when you said you'd never say it in a letter/You're more informed than me about what happens on tour." It's a small example of what can be expected lyrically throughout the album, or at least those lyrics that can be understood on the more melodic tracks. At least in this respect, Dewees remains consistent; musically, he continues his carefree approach, dabbling with hard rock as well as touches of electronica on interlude tracks "Smith & 9th" and "3rd Ave." His inventive and ambitious exploration earns him some points, but Last Stop: Crappy Town lacks cohesion, something that could prove infuriating for some but fascinating for others. In addition to this disjointedness, Dewees' focus on heavier material makes the album drag as it goes on, with the sound growing particularly stale around halfway through with "V." The softer and more emotionally resonant interludes scattered throughout Last Stop: Crappy Town provide a brief respite, but not enough to keep the album from getting bogged down. ~ Katherine Fulton, All Music Guide