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Flying below the radar, the Actual’s “In Stitches” is an excellent debut that molds different genres and styles into one little neat package of rock. You can tell that the musical influences of these guys are broad, broader than most bands. On one track they’ll sound like straight up pop-punk like a lot of today’s other bands, but then on other tracks like “Lindsay Never Gets Lonely” they sound like old school Green day. Summarized what these guys sound like is a mix of Jack’s Mannequin (sans piano) and Relient K with industrial undertones in spots (it’s not obvious or intentional but if you listen they’re definitely there.) This album can’t be described as punk, because it’s really not. The Actual is the only true “rock” band to come out in years. “In Stitches” is a complete debut by these guys. Honestly “The Pride of the Echelon”, and “September Had a Trigger Finger” aren’t really that great. The same can be said for “Dancing on the Perimeter” but everything else on this album is pretty solid. When you can pinpoint 3 or four tracks as being just okay and nine or 10 tracks as being excellent, you’ve got a winner for an album. It’s strange that no one is really talking about this band or this album right now because they are one of the best new(er) bands to come out in ’07. Look for these guys on Warped Tour this summer and hopefully burning up your radio somewhere sometime soon.