Children 18:3 - On The Run

Artist: Children 18:3
Album: On The Run
Release Date: June 19, 2012
Label: Tooth & Nail Records

Over the past 20 years, punk rock has been the fuel for the teenager or 20 something who have searched for an escape from conventional pop or rock that flows through our radios and everyday pop culture. Since their first release back in 2008, Children 18:3 have constantly been crafting good punk music in the purest sense, and four years later, the band have truly found their niche with On The Run. While no real new musical ground is really broken, the sibling trio have created what is their most cohesive project yet.



"Moment To Moment" kicks things into gear with an steady tempo and the stand out line "Every task before you, is a challenge to succeed," which flows into an angsty chorus, full of harmonies between David and Lee Marie Hostetter, while Seth tears apart his section on the drums. An album highlight, "Bandits," is laced with adrenaline and never lets up its pace, which soon fades into the poppier "We'll Never Say Goodbye," fully fronted by Lee Marie, a bittersweet song about summer concluding at first glance, while the verses show something different, a song about the realities of moving on with life and maturing.

Complete with a quasi-hardcore breakdown and a cowbell section is the raging "What About Justice?," which even ends with a fantastic drum solo from Seth. "Jenny" almost feels like a Hawk Nelson song with its intro, yet eventually leads into classic Children 18:3 territory. Surprisingly, a ballad takes its place in the middle of the album, "Always On The Run," a delicate tune, which is something completely different for the band, and due to its dreamy sense, feels like something out of the '90s. While not too memorable, "I Tried To Do The Right Thing" and "Holding On" are both solid pop punk tracks, which lead up to another highlight; "Why Are You Afraid Of The Dark?" The song is very bass heavy, and Christian Lindskog (of Blindside) provides some guest vocals that feel very fitting with the dark atmosphere, which is eventually broken by the bridge, which has a refrain of "We'll Never Say Goodbye," and a little guitar solo as well. All in all, the end of On The Run is its best part, with the sporadic "Nowhere To Run" and the fun rocker "All In Your Head," which echoes elements of Family Force 5 at times, while the droning "Drifter" properly brings the album to an end.

Overall: On The Run is Children 18:3's most mature release, and musically is spot on. There's moments of pure rock and punk goodness, while at others, poppier choruses and harmonies are used to accompany the album's sometimes introspective, sometimes anthemic lyrics. While there are a few forgettable songs here and there, On The Run is a very solid album, and is one not to be missed if you've been a fan of the band in the past, or if you're looking for some quality punk rock, which still exists.

Rating: 8.5/10

Reviewed by Brooks Ginnan

Tracklisting:

1. Moment To Moment
2. Bandits
3. We'll Never Say Goodbye
4. What About Justice?
5. Jenny
6. Always On The Run
7. I Tried To Do The Right Thing
8. Holding On
9. Why Are You Afraid Of The Dark?
10. Nowhere To Run
11. All In Your Head
12. Drifter

(Buy Here)