A Twist in My Story Review

Too bad he comes off like a cornier version of Dashboard Confessional's Chris Carrabba: a tattooed love junkie who wears his heart on his sleeve, his chest and both pant legs. Vesely's second album distills emo to its most heartbroken elements, dredging up huge, pained choruses and very little punk: Mostly, A Twist in My Story sticks to acoustic backing, with some shimmering Coldplay-esque grooves tossed in on tracks like "Fall for You."
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The second album by Secondhand Serenade, aka singer/songwriter John Vesely, finds the former solo artist making a grab for the pop-emo brass ring. Featuring production by (separately) Avril Lavigne and All-American Rejects knob twiddler Butch Walker and former Nine Inch Nails member Danny Lohner, not to mention full-band re-recordings of two of the debut's strongest songs, A Twist in My Story is an unapologetic mainstream alternative pop album. The more grandiose arrangements add strings, layered harmonies,
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Men that wear their hearts on their sleeves have not died out with Ashley Parker Angel but are represented in the melodic rock riffage of singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist John Vesely who records his original compositions under the moniker Secondhand Serenade. His latest record A Twist in My Story is the follow up to his 2007 debut album Awake. Produced by Danny Lohner (Nine Inch Nails, Angles and Airwaves) and Butch Walker (Avril Lavigne, All American Rejects), A Twist in My Story is in league with Vesely’s predecessors Angels and Airwaves and Say Anything. The melodic rock scores of “Like a Knife,” “Stay Close, Don’t Go,” and “Maybe” are scripted with juicy guitar riffs and soaring vocals that saturate every inch of the drum fills. The acoustic guitar melodies of “Pretend” and “Goodbye” project a sunken mood with vocals that reach out into the depths of the darkness.
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