Face to Face
“Ignorance is Bliss”
Grade: B

Where do aging punk rockers go? The latest efforts from such stalwarts of the pop-punk trend as Lagwagon, NOFX and Bad Religion have all but spelled the passing of the genre. This effort from Face to Face, however, is not the disappointment the group’s last, self-titled effort turned out to be.
Too far removed from the MTV generation, singer Trever Keith and his cohorts have moved past the punchy rhythms and speedy chord progressions of old and moved toward a more melodic, slower-paced style.
“Ignorance is Bliss” is probably the most personal album in Keith’s long history of the band. Instead of sermons on the virtues of self-reliance, the lyrics delve inward and take a look at nothing more than just trying to make it anymore.
The album starts respectably enough, but it isn’t until the drum roll kicking off “In Harm’s Way” that it becomes obvious how whole-heartedly the band has moved into a more guitar and melody heavy style. The album moves fairly seamlessly from there on out, taking a more relaxed approach and actually coming through with more complex guitar interplay than your basic punk album.
Not quite as catchy as they once were, the members of Face to Face have grown up and it shows.
The only question left is will the old skateboarders and punkers buy this new image, or go on as confused as ever at what has happened to the music they once called their own.

— Jonathan Reed