Road Rules is a television show on American MTV which is bound to hit the European market soon too. Apparently it can be compared to The Real World on wheels. Since we’re not a TV-guide you can get more info on this show on the MTV website and I’ll just stick to the soundtrack…

Opening band Jimmy Eat World immediately sets the right tone with their invigorating tune “Bleed American”. They’re followed by 20 other bands who mostly exude the same energy. Though many different styles are represented on this album, including punkrock, (nu-)metal, straightforward rock and something I like to call teenage punkrock ballads, one thing keeps them all together: the mostly clear and emotional vocals.

There are heavy songs by Deftones, with “The Boy’s Republic” from their album White Pony, Hoobastank (“Pieces”), Thrice with ”See You In The Shallows”, which actually starts with 80s heavy metal guitar sounds, and the riff-oriented “Engine” by Haste.

Punkrock is well represented by for instance AFI (“The Nephilim”), New Found Glory (“Something I Call Personality”) and “All Rise” by Jersey. And then there’s The Rise with a song called “The Fallacy of Retrospective Determinism”. It’s punkrock combined with emo and exciting electronic sounds mixed in as well…

Coheed and Cambria (“33”), 36 Crazyfists (“An Agreement Called Forever”) and Sinch’s “Something More” offer alternative rock, while Unwritten Law (“Take Me Away”), Dashboard Confessional (“Saints and Sailors”) and closing song “Overdue” by The Get Up Kids give us calmer songs so we can catch our breath again.

I haven’t mentioned all songs, but that doesn’t mean those I haven`t are bad. There’s actually not one bad or annoying song on the album. It’s a perfect mix to play in your car stereo or at a party. Or at home when you’re alone. There’s only one thing I have a problem with and that’s that monstrous title. Road Rules I would’ve been just fine by me…