A little while ago, Pittsburgh's pop-punk darlings Punchline embarked on a quest to have the #1 album on iTunes with their new EP, So Nice to Meet You. Bassist Chris Fafalios threatened to quit if they didn't succeed, but I think most Punchline fans knew he wouldn't. We chose to indulge him anyway while naysayers sat back, called him a douche, and said the band only wanted money and the whole thing was a publicity stunt. I can see how it looked that way on the outside, but anyone who's ever been to a Punchline show knows the opposite.
The boys succeeded--almost. They hit I #7 overall and did take #1 in rock. Pretty impressive. All because their fans pushed to make it happen. People were banding together, buying copies for people who couldn't afford it, etc. It was pretty cool to watch it unfold on Facebook and Twitter, and it was great to see the band so happy about something they admitted they didn't think would happen.
And the songs are good--really good. Delicious and sweet pop rock, all about love. "Universe" and "Everything I Wanted" are the immediate standouts, with Punchline's distinguished sound, great lyrics, and infectious hooks. Check it out for yourself. And no pressure to get them high on the charts this time.
By the way, although the release did coincide with singer Steve Soboslai's appearance on the show "Mobbed," I'd hardly call his valiant and successful attempt to woo a lady by singing "I Want You to Want Me" a publicity stunt. I call that smart marketing and an adorable tie-in of sorts to the show. The cover is even featured on the EP, and Punchline's one of those bands that can really rock a solid cover.
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