August Christopher’s “best of” album combines their classic rock hits from 1999 to 2010 with two live tracks and four new cuts from A Brand New Day.  For August Christopher fans, the prospect of this album, which also includes videos, pictures and audio clips from frontman Criss Cheatham’s radio show “Welcome 2 the Big Letdown” is something to get excited about.  Others might find that this rock ‘n’ roll compilation  doesn’t have much bite. 

The instrumentalists know how to play individually, but it’s a shame that there’s nothing really memorable on this album. Steve Price can work the bass and Corey Boise has a powerful hand on the drums.  The production is sound as well, but there’s an excess of formula to the songs and a lack of depth in the lyrics, and as a result, the listener never really gets hooked. 

“Inside Her Head” and “Turnaround” are the best of the lot due to slightly more engaging guitar parts; it’s the lyrics that aren’t believable, describing relationships both failing and flourishing in predictable and clichéd ways that come off sounding manufactured. There’s a lot of material here—12 tracks that include the live cuts, but nothing really resonates.