Lookout Point: "What Could Have Been" 
'For These MD/PA Sons, It Begins Here' 

Andy, Pete and Dustin have pooled their considerable skills together, each putting his best, sneakered foot forward, and created "What Could Have Been," a generous bakers' dozen of modern rockers for their debut disc. Masterfully crafted with eye-popping CD art and A-Grade sound production. 

Andy has the pipes of steel, with a tone reminiscent of Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump or Panic! At The Disco's Brendon Urie, and Andy knows it! He takes us there on "HBC" and "This Girl," going from intimate cooing to all out screamfest. On "The Price" engineer Dave Weiner throws in some echo at the end of the first line just so we recognize "Andy's got it!" But Andy isn't the band's only butt-kicker. 

Pete is the heartbeat. His work is subtle – like the modest technician, his strength is that he serves the song with out stealing the spotlight, except of course when he throws down the gnarly bass solo on the fifth track, "Easy." He also gets to share the spotlight by contributing some tasteful backing vocals. Often treated with airy echo, Pete's backing vocals add breadth and depth to the mix. 

Drummer Dustin gives Lookout Point their sure and fun beat. He stabs the 2s and 4s, but pulls in plenty of rolls and tumbles as he drives each track steadily forward. Stopping on a dime on and dueling solos with Pete's bass on "Easy," Dustin shines from behind his mighty kit on every track "Empty Jester" is where he truly impresses though – he climbs all over the song's asymmetrical time signature with deft precision. The tension is ratcheted up to eleven on this one and Dustin just flat out nails it! 

Joining Lookout Point's single-monikered core members of Andy, Pete and Dustin are joined by a small group of guest artists – Sam Grim lending some blow-torch hot guitar licks and Keith Weisser adding some bottom to three of the albums thirteen tracks (more on the track count in a sec.). 
If I were Andy or Pete or Dustin (and I'm not, but if I were), I would kindly ask Sam to become something of a permanent member of this illustrious band. Andy is no slouch on ye ole six-string, offering a moody lead on star track "Empty Jester" and of course giving each song is melodious, chopping rhythm track. 
But good-god! Sam brings such chutzpah to his every contribution! He adds his own 'voice' to every song he plays on – as strong as the core members, yet entirely distinctive. He helps Lookout Point set themselves further apart from the fray. His chops bring to mind the guitar rock of the mid 80's - good melodic control that flashes for a nice solo, then hunkers back down to fatten the rhythm. 

The guys of Lookout Point show their appreciation for record arrangement by drawing the album to a close with an intimate acoustic track "Sorrow and Smoke." Andy calls us in close for this angst-soaked tale of a life that he just can't seem to get right. "I better keep my coat on 'cause / I won't be here long. / Don't worry about it. / I'm pretty fine with this, / and if I wasn't I'd try / to be a little more kind to this flesh that I choke / with sorrow and smoke." 

Then we come to our hidden thirteenth track - sorry for the spoiler, suspense fans, but this is totally worth it. This untitled monster is by far my favorite on the disc. For most of the album this far I felt like Lookout Point fit pretty squarely into the Emo genre – a little too squarely. There were moments where I felt they were reaching beyond the genre boundaries, particularly when they got to the bridge of songs like "Wax Museum" and "Media Queen," and on the edgier tracks like "Easy" and "Empty Jester," but then they'd seem to tuck back into the genre sound again. On track thirteen, the rulebook goes helter-skelter out the window, and Lookout Point just let loose! They go nuts on the production, f-up the strings for an oily guitar solo, we even get a guitar duel between a fuzzy rhythm and a steely lead!! Dudes!! 
If they put this much gut, and abandon into every track they would stand head and shoulders above their Emo peers. This is their first album so they have plenty of time to take things to the next level starting from right now!! 

On "What Could Have Been" Lookout Point are beginning to find their voice in modern rock, and they do so quite admirably!! They try different things and invite contributions from obviously experienced friends, proof that they're surrounding themselves with great rockers. I hope on their next disc they explode their sound and go beyond genre stylistics like they do on this awesome thirteenth track, and show us who THEY are. I want to hear a timeless gem that I can turn up ten years from now and say, "yea, that's Lookout Point and they STILL rock." They've proven they know how to do it, they just have to dig in and go all out! Then we can look for them all over the East Coast, then soon on Letterman, then in London, Japan etc. 

Find LookoutPoint online at:
www.lookoutpointmusic.com 
www.myspace.com/lookoutpoint 
www.staticchain.com/lookoutpoint 

ROCK ON! 

StaticChain.com
by Joel Griffith
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Pretty sweet guitar riffs float on up high throughout Lookout Point's strong offering. As sweet as the Blow Pop that was included in the package, "What Could Have Been" is melodic modern rock ala Jimmy Eat World with fashionable vocals and clever songwriting abound. You'll be wanting to own this album—before it owns you. I'm 99% sure that each one of us secretly wishes that our high school band was this talented.

- J-Sin
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This three piece puts forth a surprising amount of power, in a melodic indie pop package.  "No Win Situation" sounds like a plaintive, soaring moment that hints at Creed's finer points.  "Empty Jester" challenges the listener with emotive lyrics and an interesting arrangement.  Staccato bass and drums back a winding guitar riff.  It fits together perfectly.  "Wax Museum" sounds like it could be from Soundgarden's catalog.  Opening with a sparse but catchy riff, the song builds to a crescendo by the first chorus.  

Lookout Point seems to be on a quest to challenge their listeners.  This is not a band easily defined by "this band sounds like (fill in the blank)".  Lyrically, Lookout Point is direct.  Whether expressing joy or confusion, vocalist Andy spits out lyrics that do not candy coat the ideas behind the songs.  Adding to this is the original drumming of XdustinX.  Although Lookout Point is best described as modern rock, the drum work on "What Could Have Been" is best described as pseudo-hardcore.  Some of the bass drum work would make hardcore legends drool.  The drums are never doing what you would expect.  What at first seems out of place is perfect by the middle of the opening track.   

Lookout Point have served up an enjoyable debut, and one of the better independent debuts I've heard.  The mix is clear, and the production is good.  I hope to hear that a label with the money to promote Lookout Point picks them up soon. They have grabbed influences from all genres of rock music and melded them into something interesting and unique.  "What Could Have Been" is an album worth hearing, and worth hearing again.  Kudos to Lookout Point on a job very well done.  

Key Tracks: "No Win Situation" "Empty Jester"

Reviewed by: Jim McDonald
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