I’m just gonna say it: Everybody is Going to Heaven was better than Youth. While Youth was a good record, its follow-up was a significantly darker and more mature record from the Michigan band that showed a more careful approach to songwriting beyond the typical pop-punk “My girlfriend left me and I am oh-so-sad” that high schoolers and creepy twentysomethings with beards seem to love. They derived a lot from Brand New on that record, which is a valid criticism, but Citizen’s sincere approach to composing well-written songs with a cohesive flow across the length of an album showed the band’s potential for producing quality music despite their worn-on-sleeve influences.
As You Please might just be Citizen finally tapping into that potential. It’s kind of impressive how the band has managed to write a twelve-song, 48-minute long record that not only never gets boring, but also contains an infectious hook on virtually every track. “In the Middle of It All” and lead single “Jet” best exemplify this, and what’s most striking is how each song is relatively different. “Jet,” the album’s opener, starts with an energetic grunge riff and erupts into an insanely catchy chorus that would sound right at home on the band’s debut. “In the Middle of It All” begins with a pseudo-choir chant refrain that sounds jarring at first, but grows on you really quickly; the song also contains arguably the best chorus the band has ever written. Citizen are firing on all cylinders.
Vocalist Mat Kerekes knocks out of the park, utilizing his full vocal range to guide voice the listener through the emotional rollercoaster of As You Please. His lyrics are a little vaguer than on previous offerings; while it’s evident that they center around some form of heartbreak, the verses aren’t as black and white as say, “The Summer.” In fact, it seems that some of the he he doesn’t limit himself to failed romance, with “World” appearing to reflect the effect (or lack thereof) that being in a popular touring band has had on Kerekes, especially in the somber second verse: “I have had your ears, a younger me loves it / I haven't been around this neighborhood in a few years / Do you feel good? Do you notice it? / There's a crowd in front of me, I just don't care / I hear a thousand people sing, I feel nothing.” It’s not quite profound, but it’s a nice change of pace from the lyrics that the band has employed in the past.
I feel as if with every listen that As You Please becomes more complete. Nick Hamm and Ryland Oehlers’ guitars emit a punky energy on songs like “Fever Days,” a Brand New-like guitar harmony on “Control,” and a newfound solemnity on “Flowerchild,” a song that could merit a review all its own. Eric Hamm’s bass isn’t as prominent as on Everybody is Going to Heaven, which is a bit of a disappointment, especially taking into account how well it was utilized on that record. A lot of the record’s sound can be attributed to the ever-present Will Yip. I’ve been critical of his production style in the past, but he fits the band well, sharing a relationship akin to that of George Martin with the Beatles in the sense that he serves as a guiding influence for the band as they finally decide to stop trying to be Brand New, and just be Citizen.
And that’s ultimately why As You Please is Citizen at their absolute best. It’s a record with a sound that, in spite of its obvious influences, is 100% their own, seeing them finally mature from their awkward college years into a band who know what they are and what they want to play. They’re not the group of kids that wrote Youth four years ago: they’re Citizen, finally content with being Citizen, just as they please.
- Cesar G,
Archival details
- Original URL
- https://metallifestyle.weebly.com/metal-lifestyle/review-citizen-as-you-please
- Recovery source
- live-weebly
- Recovery date
- 2026-07-22
- Stewardship polish
- 2026-07-22
- Preservation status
- restored
- Missing assets
- None recorded
Preserved by Bloodsoaked Media · The Archives