The Alternative Star.com

Album: Mansions – New Best Friends

Released: March 3, 2009 on Doghouse Records

After releasing an EP on Doghouse in 2008, the full length from Mansions is finally here and filled with equal parts of angst and sincerity. Christopher Browder is the brain child of this group and both his lyrics and his voice will remind you of other scene greats like Jesse Lacey and Max Bemis, making this the obvious choice for a post break up record. Deceitful girls that are always breaking his heart are Browder’s favourite topic after all. “Talk Talk Talk” is about a girl that only ever cares about herself while the next song “Por Favor is Spanish” is about a girl who is unfaithful and how ‘all she really wanted was to fuck his accent.’ The acoustic guitars come out for “Substitute Angel,” which has Browder crooning ‘I was just your substitute angel; yeah I was just your friend for now.’ The instrumentals always take the backseat while relying on simple chords as the lyrics take the spotlight making one thing certain. New Best Friends is nothing original but it will remind you of high school and if you love your copy of Your Favorite Weapon, this will be right up for alley.

Final Verdict?

3.5/5

-Reviewed by Deborah Remus