- M u s i c R e v i e w s -
***copyright 2004, Christopher Lee Norwood, LEGAL ACTION WARRENTED - don't copy***
2001’s Rock Jesters have returned. But that “attitude” for the most part, hasn’t. Was it the now-legendary tour accident that dimmed their musical smirk, or is this simply the natural progression of a fairly nascent band. I’d like to think a little of both. And besides, the first album really wasn’t much of a joke, what with sales reaching over a million. Still, Truant seems to be a stronger album lyrically, musically and well, all around. The disc hits the ground running with the hard rocker, “1000 Days”, followed by the similarly styled single, “Drifting Apart”. While the first track has a few vocal highlights, “Drifting Apart” really shows off Dryden’s vocal range, something AAF’s rap-metal debut skimped on. Truant takes the Bug-Men in many new and exciting directions rarely explored by such acts. “Quiet” finally breaks the bleak mood created in tracks one and two, while “Glow” completely throws that dark cloud out the window. With simple, head-bouncing guitar strums and clapping, “Glow” is definitely an Ant Classic. “These Days” reverts back to hard-guitar work, but stays true to Truant’s optimistic theme. “Sarah Wynn” is the token Anti-Drug Rock Song. And while the message may be a little trite, it is delivered with a deep sincerity making it one of the most emotional songs in the boy’s catalogue. “Never Meant” stretches the band’s sound out even bigger, sounding as if it were pulled from a Noir Film Soundtrack. “Goodbye” and “Rubber Mallet” sound like First-Album leftovers, While “Tia Lupe” and the album closer “Hope” are true works of art. “S.S. Recognize” sounds too much like Limp Bizkit for comfort. All told, Truant is a good album. Alien Ant Farm just may be the “best mediocre rock band in the world”. Produced by the Deleo Brothers (of STP fame), the extremely great production is no surprise to anyone. And while their tinkerings are most definitely in there, it’s nice that Alien Ant Farm still has a unique voice to call there own. It’s really nice that this entry didn’t sound like a new Stone Temple Pilots Album, to point that out.
Two solid years have passed between the more-pop-than-punk punk-pop album, Take Off Your Pants and Jacket from the blink. They were apparently life altering ones. With whatever has gone on in the lives of these three men, “it’s obvious” they are not boys anymore. Travis, Mark and Tom are all grown up (well, almost). Few and far between are the typical breakup tunes, while more serious topics echo in the sometimes-strange beats of Blink-182, the album. And I do mean “beats”. The album starts off strong, with the bouncy fun of “Feeling This”. The track has Mark and Tom trading off vocals, where Mark’s is dedicated to the romantic, passionate side of relations and Tom’s making the sexual implications a bit more Wendy Clear. But we’ve all heard sex-talk from the guys. What we hadn’t heard until 2003 were things such as: Missing the Mrs. Barker At Home, family strife from Mark’s childhood, Tom’s growing segregation from the outside world, flat out bliss, torment, and all out wanting. That’s why I can’t use the word “concept album”. This one has it all. This is a band that has grown from three clowns in a garage to a trio of men who are finding their own way, making new creative sounds and not bound by labels such as “punk” or “sellout” or “power trio”. They would be proud to be All of the Above, and that’s awesome. One of the best of 03.
Bowling For Soup: A Hangover You Don't Deserve
Bowling For Soup, Round--- no, not two---seven! Album Seven kicks off in high gear with the almost-grandous “Almost”, a rocker with that perfect BFS balance of Emotion and Energy, Comedy and Heartbreak. “WoW”, one thinks. “They’ve done it again.” But, just like it’s name, Hangover’ will not leave you where you start. The second track “Trucker Hat”, if not for Madonna’s “Music”(just kidding Madonna), has got to be the worst song ever written. A cranked up tune about a hat, there really isn’t any merit for artistry or symbolism anywhere in sight. And coming from the guys who wrote the line, “(insert brilliant BFS lyrics here, you all know one)”, that’s just a terrifying thing. Us audience members, however, get hurled back into the fun as the lead-in single “1985” takes us on a memory-lane trip up session of an aging mother. Throughout this marathon disc (the Bowlers aren’t known for skimping on album-length or songs), the boys seem to have matured as musicians and Jaret as a songwriter, but as a whole to have become 12 year olds again. Some fans of past records may be turned off by the overdose of f-words and pottie-humor---but probably not. Piano makes some of its more prominent roles in the band on such tunes as “Ridiculous” and “Shut-Up and Smile”. As far as to who’s writing what, Butch Walker may as well join the band. A majority of AHYDD was the brainchild of Riddick (lead singer)/ Walker (Producer) rather than the band. Overall, this is a borderline strong album. While lacking a central theme or idea other than happy and fun perhaps, 13 of the 19 tracks are amazingly written, performed and presented. The other six, well---the subject matter just doesn’t belong on ANY album. Ripping a girls car apart, a standard-issue, ‘we’ve been beaten over the head with this’ break up song, and being told to smile and be happy take away any cohesiveness this “album” may have if not for them. A Hangover’ shows a band eager to explore new ground but bogged down by a few oddball theme-stoppers. But get rid of the “Trucker Hat”s, “Get Happy”s and this is the best Hangover you’ve never deserved! With a review this long I’d be evil not to include a Lonestar Rating. I give AHYDD a 7.9 of 10. Good, but the BFS boys have got better.
Incubus: A Crow Left of the Murder
Disappointing. Boring. I hardly ever give totally bad reviews, but this one deserves it. For a band known for spitting vitriolic political messages over fun-flavored pop melodies, this album is exceptionally weak. Once again, the reason for my high expectations came from the publicity and ads for the work. The album cover is gothic and grim. But upon opening it, the booklet is paper-white with gray birds flying about with the uninspired lyrics scrawled in fake handwriting. The music is more akin to the barely visible feathers than the rocking cover art. After the opening “Megolomaniac”, a head-banging gritty new direction for the band as Single Number One, it seemed as if Incubus had everyone fooled. But for hard rock, the cover and “Megolo’” are about it
Debut album of a young band in the year 2003, typically sounds like automatic garbage. But this isn’t garbage. It isn’t a new sound, but it’s an old sound in a new context. In a musical world where experimentation and bizarre mind-bending melodies have become the norm, it’s nice to hear some Rock that can actually be classified as rock and left at that. This is pure rock and roll. No raps, no turntables, no guest vocalist from the band of the month, etc. This fresh feeling starts to grind on the nerves after the first 10 songs or so, but the album itself it fairly strong; quite an accomplishment since the two singles (so far) sound completely different than the rest of the album. Jet are definitely in the running for ‘best band since 2001: the year the music died’
The Punk-Pop Princess is back with Under My Skin and it seems her second time around is a good one. The disc kicks off with the emotive rocker, “Take Me Away”, showing off her love for harder material. But don’t get me wrong; this is far from a hard rock album. And that just may be why this is such a good effort. Imagine a younger Alanis Morrissette with Green Day as backing musicians. Ms. Lavigne’s sound hasn’t changed so much as evolved. The lyrics, while still heavily focused on a lousy love life, have grown exponentially. “Together” begins with a beautiful piano intro, soon joined by both shouting/crooning Avril and even synthesizers. The third track is the token first single “Don’t Tell Me”. The next one, “He Wasn’t” gives more than a nod to Green Day. Not only are the guitar riffs “almost old-school” with stop-start beats-she goes as far as imitating a Billie Joe grunt half way through! All of this of course is packed into less than three minutes; a real punker for the princess. Listeners are allowed to mellow a bit in the next four minutes with the violin-filled sadness of “How Does It Feel”. The mood doesn’t lighten, though the music does just a tad on the second single “My Happy Ending”. Three tracks over the sun finally comes out in “Who Knows”. This song is a happy break from Rock World bleakness. “Freak Out” also celebrates life. Highlights include “Take Me Away”, “Don’t Tell Me”, “He Wasn’t” and “Freak Out” though there are no weak points on the whole album. Themes other than Heartbreak include: Leaving pain behind, trying to fit in and how life isn’t quite as bad as it seems. While there’s not a huge growth from Album One to Two, they’re there and they’re strong. Avril Lavigne is so young as an artist and person, and yet so close to finding a style all her own. She’s not quite there yet, but this 19-year old is destined for a very long career.
Courtney Love: America's SweetHeart (2004)
Before poking and prodding at the musical merit (or lack thereof) of America’s Sweetheart, let’s all ignore the controversy ridden past (and present) of Mrs. Love, and any/every detail involving Kurt Cobain. Okay, that’s asking a bit much. While the rumors are indeed still rumors, this album does sound incredibly like Nirvana material. But even with identical lyrics, music and promotion, no one can ever hope to duplicate what that legendary trio once had. It simply can’t be done. This album sounds like a drunken (or even more so) cover-band version of Hole butchering Nirvana tune after Nirvana tune. While Kurt could make any variation of odds shrieks and cries to the thrill of millions, his widow obviously cannot. For Cobain it was gift. For Courtney, it seems, just lack of singing ability. But Love’s Sweetheart isn’t all bad. The opening “Mono” is possibly the next Great Punk Anthem, while “But Julian, I’m a Little Bit Older Than You” is almost catchy, if not a little garbled. “Hold Onto Me” gives the listener a little break. No ear-shattering screams, or (a lot of) rambling lyrics. Some themes on this album are musings on God, seeming references to her dearly deceased (these songs are either written by or about K.C., no question about that), and eulogies to Punk Ethics and Classic Rock.
Before reviewing the contents of this debut disc, let’s get some things straight. This is a band largely believed to be an amalgam of musicians: three parts Green Day and two, Devo. And while no one is spilling any beans, it’s fairly safe to say that Green Day is heavily involved. But (try to) forget the hype-insanity around this five-piece band. Let’s just listen, and judge the music for what it is. (Okay, that’s tough!) If this is Album Nine from the GD crew, it’s crap. But it’s not. It’s the debut of The Network, a fresh, techno-punk set from “five corners of the world”. (Okay, NOW we’ve got it.) We are introduced to their sound with Joe Robot, a song about, well, Joe Robot. This is an appropriate opener, as Artificial Intelligence is one of the major themes of the album. It is revisited lyrically over and over in various forms, and appears in two song titles (one being Joe Robot). But don’t be fooled. Behind songs about robots and laser guns lays some not-so-obvious social commentaries, focusing on drug-abuse and people’s destructive obsession with filth. And while the disc may travel into not-quite-“songs” type sound at times, whatever this is, and whoever’s behind it, is either extremely psychotic or extremely ambitious. After all, something like this could get a band compared with the likes of The Clash. That classic 70’s punk three piece took the tried-and true genre of punk and mixed it with Jazz and Hip Hop. Now, 30 years later, punk is getting yet another spin. Is there a place for techno-punk in tomorrow’s music scene? Will this exciting genre-shake-up be killed with Green Day’s upcoming release? Does it foreshadow it? Nothing but questions exist about this band. But one thing’s for sure. This is one funked out album. The DVD isn’t bad either.
The offspring of Grove, California’s punk rock scene are back with their seventh outing, Splinter; and don’t think for a minute that maturity is an automatic with such a lengthy discography. This is pure punk. In a genre in which sameness is often so thick and self-reference silliness is unavoidable, this band has a definite style to call their own. But with six albums worth of it already, the sound’s wearing a little thin. The disc doesn’t miss any punk-stereotypes either, the entire album clocking in at just over 30 minutes with many 2 and 3 minute-ers. Maybe it’s finally time for the band to expand their territory…or maybe these guys will continue into rock-n-roll future with their tried-and-true sound. Anyway, minus a few weak spots, Splinter isn’t a terrible album. Singles include the made-for-rock-radio Hit That, and not-quite-as-obvious Da Hui. Other highlights are The Worst Hangover Ever (a tale of-you guessed it-a really bad hangover!), and Spare Me the Details, a catchy acoustic tune about those annoying “friends” who feel the need to tell you when your partners been cheating (the nerve!). While this rocker goes out on somewhat of a cheap note (the disappointing When You’re In Prison), the album’s overall impact is a good one.
Papa Roach: Getting Away With Murder
Papa Roach’s latest disc, Getting Away’, is definitely a step in a direction. As to whether that means “huge step/ better direction” - well, it deserves a few more listens. The music is tighter, with an emphasis on industrial strength guitar grinding while the vocals are more artistically varied. Jacoby uses his vox closer to it’s full potential on PR’s third. But while the fronting rants are better displayed, the material being ranted isn’t exactly up to par with the soaring Jacoby’s voice. Choruses are often a short phrase shouted over and over. Verse-wise, this album is emotive and painfully honest/moving; only problem is, the verses are scant while the already-repetitive chorus’s get pounded into the skull. Though lyrically average or worse, the album’s themes of dismay, emotional turbulence and the dreams of better things really shine underneath each chord. The concept is strong. While the title track is the lead single, center piece (track 6 0f 12) “Be Free” is the ear-popping stand out track. “Scars” is a strong departure for the Roaches’, sounding like something from the Aerosmith (Circa 2001ish) songbook. While nowhere near Best Rock Album, GAWM is a fair listen.
The camera-shy Seattle Rockers are back in the spotlight with their latest release, Riot Act. Before even carefully removing all that annoying plastic wrap, one can tell this is a highly artistic album. With a digipak-like design, and odd-sized booklet, the packaging is certainly unique. However, the contents of the disc itself is what the final verdict will be attached to. Have these five alt-rockers evolved since their last release, or simply puttering further in the same lyrical forays that the band made popular in the early 90’s? It seems this is one case that where judging an album by it’s cover might not be such a bad idea. The 15 tracks on Riot are true works of art, with seemingly just enough commercialness sprinkled in. The band may have lost a bit of fiery momentum over the decades, but in doing so, picked up a new flame for life. The river of nihilist depression flowing through a majority of PJ’s earlier work is a mere backdrop on this album, with an almost spiritually taking center stage.
With three albums now under belt, Pink has explored a tremendous number of musical avenues. While experimenting is a must, it seems Pink herself has been lost between the shifts. From a debut 100% hip hop to a hugely popular pop rock sophomore disc and now Try This backed almost completely by Punk Gods of the 80’s and 90’s, it seems this young artist has no signature to call her own. The Transplants (AKA Travis Barker of Blink-182 with Rancid) cowrote nearly every song on the album. To any Punk fan, this sounds like pure gold. But Try This sounds more like a new Rancid album with Alicia's vocals replacing the irreplaceable Armstrong than Pink. As said however, Tim Armstrong is a true punk legend. The songwriting on this album is very strong, if not fitting. The lyrics are brilliant and the album has quite a few strong themes coursing within. Spirituality (God is a DJ, Save My Life), Fun (Trouble, God is a DJ, Tonight's the Night) and like a leftover from Misundastood, Dancing as a metaphor for life runs deep. Trouble and God is a DJ were the first-pick singles. Track three, “Last to Know” seems to allude to her retired R+B sound while kicking things up with Rancid-riffs spicing things up a bit. It seems as if Hip Hip and Punk are slowely merging paths in the 2000’s. Overall this is a highly enjoyable album. It’s just not pink. While some genre-shifters such as Kid Rock do nothing but expand upon an already massive audience, one has to wonder if Pink hasn’t completely alienated hers. With three totally stand-alone albums, her career doesn’t seem to be going anywhere. Punk was a definite inspiration for Alicia from day one, and it did compliment her vocals. Perhaps, like all Punk greats, she will take the tried-and-true punk-rock style and make it her own. Or rehash it over and over and over. Either way, here’s to Pink, if only for half-knocking Britney in “Don’t Let Me Get Me”.
Red Hot Chili Peppers: Greatest Hits
After 20-plus years of genre busting, hard-rockin’ madness, the ‘peppers finally give to us a real ‘Best Of’ collection (and not just another re-release of those ten-track letdowns). While this disc doesn’t quite contain even half of the quartets endless array of triumphant singles, it does, in a word, rock. One thing about the songs is obvious. These 16 picks were carefully hand selected by the band. They are the biggest and boldest of the band’s work, and still collectivity show the growth of an ever-growing force in the rock world…Starting off with Under The Bridge (a powerful ballad filled with symbolisms of a new start for singer Anthony Keidis) and going out with a bang on two newly cut tracks, Fortune Faded and Save the Population. These two new songs are half echoes from the By The Way-era band and an exciting glimpse at post-2003 RHCP. Metaphoric chess moves, worldwide lyrical musings-----this is some good stuff. The bonus DVD doesn’t hurt much either. Aside from 20 minutes or so (that could have been filled with classic’s Fight Like A Brave, Me & My Friends, etc.), this disc lives up to and surpasses earlier Chili Pepper work. That alone says a lot.
Saliva: Survival of the Sickest (2004)
SOS, or S.O.T.S for those of us who care about such things, is the newest offerings from Saliva. From the album opener “Rock N Roll Revolution” to hidden track “ “, everything about it says Rock and Roll; the old school late 80’s, early 90’s attitude and insanity mythos. Gone are the hip-hop influences that leaked on both Every 6 Seconds and Back Into Your System. Gone are the trappings of a nonsensical label such as “Nu/New Metal”. It may have taken a handful of releases, but the Saliva boy are ROCK STARS with a capital everything. Imagine Kid Rock at his Rocking-est, with Slash and Duff of Guns N Roses on guitar…or Axl Rose fronting Twisted Brown Trucker Band and you might get something similar to the ‘Spit’. But while this album is hard-as-rock, it manages to balance itself out a bit with a few melodic riffs and a ballad or three thrown into the madness. There isn’t a strong theme within the 13, but the final hidden piece, with rebellious shouts of “Sex, Drugs and Rock N Roll” as a chorus let’s all who hear know what Saliva are all about.
Despite the name, this is not a new album or a sophomore effort from the Seether boys. It is simply a re-release of their debut plus eight tracks. Not a very good move in the musical world, but this disc still manages to rock. In the vein of many newer rock groups, this band is similar in sound to Puddle of Mudd and Nickelback, but with more believability and passion. Emotion rarely heard in our sad, Post-Kurt world, if that’s not going overboard. But with such strong lyrics, one has to wonder why the boys use “yeah” and “no” seemingly after every other line. There certainly isn’t any need for filler. And while this album certainly can’t touch Cobain’s musings with a long stick, it comes closer than just about any post-2001 debut. It starts out with the highlight “Gasoline”, followed by mellower but just as strong numbers like “69 Tea” and “Fine Again”. The fourth, “Needles”, goes into a harder guitar driven mosher; These guys are at their best with the lighter instrumentation. This is a flaw they seem to recognize as that gritty crunching madness of songs, “Needles”, “Pride”, “F*** it” and “Your Bore” aren’t explored much anywhere else. “Broken” tops the album off twice, and well it deserves to. The original acoustic version by the band was the original capper, while this re-release has the much-improved “Feat. Amy Lee” take of the song in that position. With twenty songs, the album does seem to stretch at points, but a vast majority of these songs are worth a listen. Seether is without a doubt at the top of the class when it comes to new rock.
Slipknot: Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses) (2004)
It’s been what? Three years since we’ve last heard from the Nine Man Mutant…uh whatever. It seems as if the scar this band had been cutting in the music scene isn’t quite as deep as was originally thought. But after a slur of side-projects, the ‘Knot is back, musical dagger in hand. This is a strong album. No doubt. The hype surrounded this “return” made the content disappointing however. The purpose of Stone Sour, Murderdolls and To My Surprise (the side-bands) was to explore different, more melodic territory that Slipknot as a group did not want to explore. Yet, sitting strangely pretty between typical ‘Knot fair are (Gasp!)…ballads! Apparently Corey Taylor didn’t expunge enough of his pop musing on his Stone Stour outing. “Circle”, “Vermilion pt. 2” and portions of “Danger – Keep Away” just aren’t Slipknot. Those two earlier mentioned tracks are actually acoustic! As a hard rock album nevertheless, this is rockin’ stuff. The opener prepares the audience somewhat for a more tame sound, while number 2 (“The Blister Exists”) is a definite mosher, with marching drums and mind-warping riffs from the almost-innumerable line of guitarists. The lead-in single, “Duality” stands apart from the other 13, but isn’t necessarily the best. The two-part song progression “Vermilion” and Vermilion pt. 2” is at once the best and worst piece on the album. Listeners will understand what that means. Considering it a product of a band literally ripping apart at the seems, this is a fine work of metal-art.
Uncle Kracker: Seventy Two and Sunny
From behind Kid Rock’s turntables to a breakout solo debut; and from there, an even better sophomore album, where’s an Uncle to go? No Stranger to Shame, his second outing traded Double Wide’s raps for heartfelt country tinged ballads, topped off with a back-to-basics hip hop hidden track. This left all of us wondering where he would go next. More country and soul hit singles, raunchy raps or would he go pop? None of the above. The former DJ took his brilliant writing and took it even farther back than southern grace. From the rocking guitar riffs of “This Time” to the country “Last Night Again”, every note is laced with old school blues. While this is certainly an exciting direction for Album 3, fans may be a little disappointed at the complete omission of rap…and language that often comes along with. But aside from two songs with nothing contributed from Kracker, his writing has done nothing but improved. The music, played almost exclusively by producer and friend Mike Bradford is greatly expanded from previous efforts, placing Mat Shafer’s vocals over full arrangements, including everything but the kitchen sink. The album is set up in a progression of moods, kicking off with the upbeat “This Time” and Rescue. “A Place at my Table”, the centerpiece, strips away the slow but happy ways of the earlier tracks, giving way to the rockier turns of “Blues Man”, “Songs About Me, Songs About You”. The final three tracks delve back into the musical likenesses of the first few, but with the spirit of the later, the finally being “Last Night Again”, a duet with Kenny Chesney. Highlights include : “This Time”, “Don’t Know How (Not to Love You)”, “A Place At My Table”, “Some Things You Can’t Take Back”, “Blues Man” and “Songs About Me, Songs About You”.
This is an album destined to hit the top of the pops no matter the music contained therein. With a meld of two of the biggest rock bands in history, the mythos holding this work up has already pushed the debut of VR to legendary status. But, with all the fuss, is the music really that good? Well, there is no “yes” or “no” answer for this. While impossible to live up to the Word of Mouth, it is certainly good. First of all, it doesn’t sound like STP vocals over G+R riffs. It’s much more smooth than that. The VR gang sounds like an original band, with a sound all it’s own. The lyrics here are bizarre, even compared to STP’s stream-of-consciousness style. Extreme symbolism abound. But the strong, double guitar attack of Dave and Slash tends to drown out Weiland’s sensitive vocals. VR doesn’t compare to its split parts, but it’s a sum that’s quite nice. Contraband is a true Hard Rock album instead of another new wave wine and moan piece.
***copyright 2004, Christopher Lee Norwood, LEGAL ACTION WARRENTED - don't copy***
***copyright 2004, Christopher Lee Norwood, LEGAL ACTION WARRENTED - don't copy***
***copyright 2004, Christopher Lee Norwood, LEGAL ACTION WARRENTED - don't copy***
