Face to Face

by Lacey Tauber
8.6.2002

“All men have secrets, and this is mine…” sings Face to Face’s Trever Keith on their version of the Smiths’ “What Difference Does it Make?” the opening track of Standards and Practices, an album of nothing but covers. Keith’s secret is that although F2F have themselves been a punk standard since 1992, he’s not afraid to admit their roots in other genres. Sure, they cover the Ramones, Fugazi, and Jawbreaker, but they also cover The Pogues, the Psychedelic Furs, and Sugar, among others. The best part is they do each one with equal aplomb and accuracy.

This mix of influences makes for some quality punk rock. F2F's brand of punk combines the melodies of pop punk with the aggression of hardcore and more complex guitar work of alterna rock. Keith's vocals are deep, jarring, and emotional, contributing to the band's easily-recognizable sound. Since their first release in 1992, they have done nothing but improve. Last year’s Reactionary was their most solid and most melodic release to date.

Standards and Practices

The tendency toward more melodic tracks on Reactionary might have something to do with the fact that all the songs were chosen by fans. The band put up about 16 tracks on their website and allowed fans to choose their favorites. From the roughly 2 million responses they received, they chose the track listing for the album. For a band that was once on a major label (A&M), this amount of creative control is one of the beauties of returning to indie recording. It also demonstrates how they have supported the digital music revolution – their last tour with Alkaline Trio, Saves the Day, and New Found Glory was even sponsored by Napster.

Standards and Practices is F2F’s 7th full-length, and their 2nd for Vagrant. Other releases have appeared on Fat Wreck Chords, Victory, A&M, and their own label, Lady Luck. For the best of their earlier recordings, check out 1995’s Big Choice.