Singing to Help Save Lives

"Take Action! Volume 4" is the latest installment in Sub City Records' series of compilations to benefit the National Hopeline Network, an organization that helps those who struggle with suicidal thoughts.

Volumes One through Three were heralded as great collections of rising and established artists contributing their songs towards a great cause. These albums had a formidable cast of characters, most notably Hot Water Music, AFI, At the Drive-In, Shai Hulud, Snapcase, Poison The Well, Thrice, Thursday and Boysetsfire.

This year's collection definitely shades more towards the up-and-comers and is more neatly divided than the previous releases. Disc one, with a few exceptions, has a hardcore/punk feel and contains most of the "superstars" in the compilation.

Against Me!'s acoustic Johnny Cash-meets-The Clash version of "You Look Like I Need a Drink" is the first disc's stand-out track, with honorable mention given to Haste's "Stutter," the Dillinger Escape Plan's "Panasonic Youth" and Murder By Death's "Canyon Inn, Room 16."

Disc two is "the indie disc" and features some absolutely terrible bands with some good ones sprinkled in. It's a crapshoot to say that listening to Rufio, Hidden In Plain View and Brazil is going to help combat suicide almost as much as it is to say that these bands are indie, but they should be lauded for their help towards the cause.

What saves the disc is Pedro the Lion, Mae and Roy. Let's face facts: Dropping in a band with ex-members of Botch is going to make anything better. It certainly helps that both Taking Back Sunday and Coheed and Cambria's contributions to the record are some of their best work, "Bonus Mosh Pt. II" and "The Crowing," respectively.

Only five of the 40 musical tracks are unavailable anywhere else, which is a definite slight to the album, but Andrew W.K.'s "Public Service Announcement" is by far the best of the series of album openers and worth the low price of the disc. W.K. could get a Van Hagar fan to give Gary Cherone a hug.

"Take Action! Volume 4" is definitely a step down for the series, but it's for a great cause and for sale online for less than $6. It's definitely worth funding people who help save despairing lives.