The Secret Handshake Want Their Name In Lights

What would happen if an emo band threw in the the towel and went completely pop? It's an interesting question and it's one that The Secret Handshake know a little something about because that's exactly what they've done. Their latest album My Name Up In Lights pretty much sums up the attitude of this band: to unabashedly be pop stars at any cost.

My Name Up In Lightsis an interesting album because it flawlessly combines two tween terrors into one gargantuan musical monster. With the deadly combination of emo swagger and the uber-hooks of pure pop, The Secret Handshake create songs that not even Godzilla could overpower. My Name Up In Lightsis so ridiculously bubblegum in the best possible way that you'll find yourself addicted to this record like a drug addict even if you dread the thought of emo and/or commercial pop music.

How do they do this? Well, the guitars on My Name Up In Lightstake a back seat as synths bubble up and saccharine sweet vocals fly around like blasts of pure cane sugar assaulting your senses. The Secret Handshake are obviously angsty (hello emo) but they frame their frustration into the form of pop missiles that lay waste to everything around them. It's truly cool stuff and in listening to My Name Up In Lights you get the feeling that this is the record that Panic! At The Disco really want to make, but really don't know how.
The Secret Handshake have come up with a record that could no doubt soundtrack every Jr. High prom from now until eternity. Their use of beats, super glossy production, and moulding growing up into something that sounds timeless is masterful. This is a great record that's so much more than the sum of it's parts. If more emo records were like this, I would be a huge fan of the genre. The Secret Handshake have taken what they love...pure delicious sugary sweet pop and warped into what they know to get something that's brilliant. My Name Up In Lights is an awesome record and anyone that loves big hooks and huge hits will love this; recommended even if you're not a tween.