All Time Low (ATL) was so successful by 2009 that it caught the attention of Interscope Records, a label whose universal influence has touched artists ranging from country singers to rappers. Instead of continuing their fun ride on the road of success, ATL began working on its 2011 album Dirty Work, and its subsequent decline.

The music in Dirty Work is marginal compared to the great music the band used to produce. Listeners catch a miniscule earful of the band’s former self only through a section of one song in which Alex Gaksarth’s voice is not auto-tuned.

In the spirit of remaining positive, the songs “ Don’t You Want Me (Dead)?”, “Just The Way I’m Not” and “That Girl” are catchy at best, with their easy-to-follow lyrics. The Spanish-accented guitar style of “That Girl” is a great change from the norm, but the song doesn’t really commit to the new sound enough for it to be effective. The same problem exists with “No Idea”; elements from Cold Play’s “Viva la Vida” are present but not new or exciting enough to liven up ATL’s piece. Overall, the album is a catastrophic collage of musical styles.

In comparison to the greatness of the music the pop-punk act once made, Dirty Work is mediocre in both effort and musical quality; it seems as if All Time Low is now making music just to make it. 12-year-old girls may consider this album to be composed of “the best freaking songs ever!”, but the actual music community knows what the band is capable of.

The band set out with one goal and one goal only: to make music people would appreciate and enjoy. Led by singer and guitarist Alex Gaskarth, with Zack Merrick on bass, Jack Barakat on lead guitar, and Rian Dawson on drums, All Time Low grew out of the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland when each member was only 17.

Even with school, homework, sports and other adolescent commitments, All Time Low was still able to tour the East Coast during school holidays. They recorded their debut EP Three Words to Remember in Dealing with the End and released their first full-length album  The Party Scene the summer of their junior year. Shortly after they released Put Up Or Shut Up with the help of local record labels.

The band had yet another lucky break when its members came across fellow pop-punk band Amber Pacific, enabling them to get the attention of big time pop-punk label Hopeless Records. The record company was quickly impressed with their skill, performance and charisma, and they settled a record deal in March 2006. A few months before their high school graduation, the band really began to focus on their music, and a month after they graduated, they released Put Up Or Shut Up, a seven-song EP. Thanks to the many local concerts All Time Low held early on in their music career, their new EP was effectively publicized even before they returned to touring with Amber Pacific.

In 2007, the band released its first full-length album So Wrong it’s Right also with Hopeless Records, causing them to be recognized by Alternative Press for Band of the Year. Soon after, in 2009, All Time Low released its second full-length album, Nothing Personal with Hopeless Records, ranking #4 on Billboard’s Top Ten.

From playing Blink-182 covers at local gigs, All Time Low now has songs on Billboard’s Top Ten.  Although I do not condone in any success of  Dirty Work, I am hopeful that this is not the beginning of All Time Low’s downfall. In order to make up for this mediocre album of funky guitar riffs, strong synths, half-rapped lyrics and smooth melodies, the band must produce something original yet crowd-pleasing next year.