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Cost Of Higher Education

Maximum Rock 'n' Roll

This CD featres a clean, tight production where each member of the trio's instruments come through clear in the mix. Really nice bass tone and good vocal harmonies, all in melodic songs with enough gruffness to keep them from being overly poppy. Think Sqirtgun, Face to Face, maybe even a bit of old Sludgeworth and Jawbreaker too. This is a strong CD all the way through, with stand-out tracks for me being 'The Road to Self-Sufficiency' and 'Conventional.' Fans of upbeat melodic punk with intensity and personal lyrics shold eat this up and come back for more. - Ramsey Kanaan

Jersey Beat

Jersey Beat Another December release, another sophomore full-length, and another record I'm going to have to seriously consider for my year end Best Of lists, Relapse should appeal to fans of the Bouncing Souls, or anyone who likes big catchy choruses infused with working-class punk-rock energy. The band's not afraid to take on political targets (American education, Iraq) as well as soul-searching indictments of their own shortcomings (as on the brutal title track.) I've always loved trios and The Challenged make perfect use of that special balance you get when drums, bass, and guitars all contribute equally to a band's power. Even better, all three members of the band sing, so along with rousing call-and-response vocal parts and three-part harmonies, the Challenged can come across as blue-collar hardcore kids like the Dropkick Murphys or Jawbreaker-ish pop/punkers, depending on who's taking the lead vocal. With new drummer Mike, this band has sharpened its sound and broadened its songwriting, and mark my words, they're going to be a force to be reckoned with in the New York punk scene. – Jim Testa

Jersey Beat

Why The Challenged aren't a staple on the radio or MTV-type show (ouch !) is beyond me. Songs like "Road to Self-Sufficiency" and "Cracking Under Pressure" are full of straight-up, high energy punk rock. The lyrics and the music are basic: Loud, brash, and totally danceable pop punk rock, with a melodic edge (sounds like they've been listening to their Bouncing Souls albums), and sometimes snotty lyrics. I wouldn't have it any other way! It always raises my spirit and gives me goose bumps when a band puts their hearts on their sleeves and gives it their all. Nobody's going to mistake The Challenged for the saviors of rock 'n' roll, but when it comes to their infectious grooves, hits, and near-misses, it's just about impossible not to kick your chair away from the table and sing and dance along to the entire album! -Phil Rainone

Punk Rock Review

I can't put to words how fucking great this album is! The instrumental piece is flawlessly upbeat, but intense at the same time. The lyrics are written with blood, sweat & tears that you can feel through the speakers. Ok, so the best way to describe the sound of The Challenged on this album is if you took the musical diversity & vocal sound of Pinhead Gunpowder and combined it with the lyrical intelligence of Blake Schwarzenbach of Jawbreaker fame. Really that's all you have to say to realize how impressive RELAPSE is. -Jonny Taint

Maximum Rock N' Roll

THE CHALLENGED think they are the last pop-punk band left in Brooklyn, and maybe that's true. Their music resides in the well worn and loved territory of RAMONES-core, but instead of the usual SCREECHING WEASEL knockoff, they pull off their own brand of the sound nicely. Vocals sound a lot like a younger Billie Joe Armstrong, you know when he was still a snotty teenager, not just playing one on TV.(8 song CD, lyrics included. www.thechallenged.com)(Ariel)