The Kids Will Take Their Monsters On is Automatic Loveletter’s fifth studio album, produced by Valencia vocalist Shane Henderson and released on Paper + Plastick Records. The album is entirely acoustic, adding a personal aspect to the music and allowing vocalist Juliet Simms to use her full spectrum of emotion and vocal range. It’s a risky thing for a relatively unknown artist like Simms to show such bravery; with so few instruments, there’s virtually nothing that detracts from a voice that she showcases beautifully.

The album starts off with a sultry, romantic number called “Never Take It Off,” and what the opener lacks in length, it makes up for in range. At once, the listener is exposed to everything that will be heard in the album. The song is just Simms and a quiet guitar, demonstrating raw talent at its best. “Never Take It Off” leads into a speedier “Save Me,” where Simms rocks out the best she can while accompanied by an acoustic guitar.

“Black Ink Revenge” is one of the pinnacle songs on the album. The structure of the lyrics and the tone of her voice throughout this song indicate that Simms feels strongly about her dreams and the boy who interrupts them. An excellent example of a prize for hard work, the song was originally intended to be on a Sony release by the band, but the President of Sony Records disliked the song and rejected it. Clearly, Simms persevered and created an acoustic version for this release. “Black Ink Revenge” precedes “Click,” a cliché ballad about the ups and downs of touring and being in a band, and, like the roads Simms sings about, it wears on.

The next two songs, “Carry the Fire” and “Trade Places,” are similar both in subject and style. They drone on, are almost indiscernible from one another and add a negative tone to the album. However, the next track, “Cruel, Cruel” has a a playful, jazzy tone that makes this song in particular stand out from other, more demure tracks.

The album ends with “Pillows” and, appropriately titled, “The Curtain Close.” “Pillows” is another soft ballad, but unlike the other songs, it has potential to be a star track. Simms’s voice is less slurred and her improved diction lends clarity to the lyrics. It is a dynamic track that adds prominence to slower tracks. Finally, the album slows to a finish with “The Curtain Close,” – again, very similar to previous tracks. It’s a good closing song, but it probably would have had more impact if it hadn’t been preceded by songs that seem to be too-similar sonic variations of it.

Fans of VersaEmerge will love Automatic Loveletter’s The Kids Will Take Their Monsters On, as will admirers of acoustic compilations. Automatic Loveletter pulls off an exceptional record that shows the full potential of Juliet Simms’s range. While the similarities between melodies may sometimes become monotonous, The Kids Will Take Their Monsters On is a great listen.

★★★.5/★★★★★

*This review was composed by Ciara Garcia