As 2005’s double-Platinum “Move Along” demonstrated, Midwestern US emo-rockers The All-American Rejects have never hidden their arena-size aspirations. But opening for Bon Jovi last year must have convinced model-handsome frontman Tyson Ritter and his bandmates that (even) bigger is better. Working with Good Charlotte producer Eric Valentine, the Rejects trick out hook-jammed anthems like “The Wind Blows” with sweet strings, zippy disco beats, and the occasional Gary Glitter bleacher stomp.

by Mark Emge

As 2005’s double-Platinum “Move Along” demonstrated, Midwestern US emo-rockers The All-American Rejects have never hidden their arena-size aspirations. But opening for Bon Jovi last year must have convinced model-handsome frontman Tyson Ritter and his bandmates that (even) bigger is better. Working with Good Charlotte producer Eric Valentine, the Rejects trick out hook-jammed anthems like “The Wind Blows” with sweet strings, zippy disco beats and the occasional Gary Glitter bleacher stomp.

by Mark Emge

With their last record yielding three Top 20 hits, The All-American Rejects are one of emo’s poppiest bands. The manicured hooks on their third–”When The World Comes Down–show off AAR’s drive. The songs also show how normal these Midwestern American boys are: The melodies don’t get any fancier than the string-and-piano groove of “Fallin’ Apart”, and the lyrics don’t get any darker than “You’re never comin’ home to me/That’s the hardest thing to see”. But the sticky-sweet “I Wanna” has enough Warped Tour whine to grab kids who think the band Weezer is old.

by Mark Emge

As 2005’s double-Platinum “Move Along” demonstrated, Midwestern US emo-rockers The All-American Rejects have never hidden their arena-size aspirations. But opening for Bon Jovi last year must have convinced model-handsome frontman Tyson Ritter and his bandmates that (even) bigger is better. Working with Good Charlotte producer Eric Valentine, the Rejects trick out hook-jammed anthems like “The Wind Blows” with sweet strings, zippy disco beats, and the occasional Gary Glitter bleacher stomp.

by Mark Emge

The core duo of The All-American Rejects–Tyson Ritter (vocals/bass) and Nick Wheeler (guitar/programming)–hail from Stillwater, Oklahoma USA, where embracing the existential musings of AC/DC, Def Leppard and Bon Jovi provided a necessary diversion from the humdrum of small-town America. While still in high-school the pair, aided by a drum machine, perfected their FM-staple blend fortified with the “new” classic rock–R.E.M., The Replacements, Nirvana–a recipe that sold a million copies of their ‘02 debut. Bloody Beetroots saddle “Gives You Hell” with the club treatment.

by Mark Emge

The All-American Rejects, often referred to as AAR, hails from Oklahoma USA, and was formed in 2001. Frontman Tyson Ritter is more than a singer-songwriter, he’s also a Hollywood model and actor. He’s appeared in Glamour magazine and most recently was a model for the Hugo Boss Orange 2008 advertising campaign. “When The World Comes Down” is their upcoming third studio album and the first single is “Gives You Hell”.

by Victor Caballero