Friday, October 15, 2004
SUM 41 -- CHUCK
This is the fourth full-length album from this fun group of Canadians. The album is named UN volunteer Chuck Pelletier of Victoria, BC, who helped "save [their] asses" from an eruption of gunfire in the Congo (they were filming a documentary there), as quoted in the liner notes. The experience that the band had in Africa has no doubt manifested itself in this album. It's fairly dark, and there's nothing as bouncy and happy sounding as a "Fat Lip" (though those lyrics were probably more mean than happy) on this album. As a result of what they'd been through between albums, the lyrics on this record seem to have more of a point (sans "Hell Song" and "Still Waiting" off of Does This Look Infected?). Now they aren't angry just for the sake of being angry. There's nothing here as juvenile as "You look like ass/You smell like sh**/So why are you such a d*ck?!" as there was on the last album. Also, it seems this album more broadly covers the emotional spectrum. There's probably no unequivocally happy songs, as I've said, but there are a couple of slower poppish tracks on the album. As an added bonus, the boys toss me a nugget in the form of their metal roots busting out on a couple occasions, to the tune of straight-up near-shred guitar solos by Dave Baksh, most notably on "The Bitter End" and "88."
About the album and the band members (no creative nicknames like Stevo 32 or Dave Brownsound this time; no names at all are given in the liner notes)
Running time -- just over 37 minutes
Deryck Whibley -- guitar, lead vocals
Dave Baksh -- (lead) guitar
Cone McCaslin (usu. known as simply "Cone") -- bass guitar
Steve Jocz -- drums
I've added this line here after writing the rest of the review. It occurs to me that it might be completely unfair. Why? I heard what I was hearing in the songs and took down the other songs and bands that came to mind as a result. So this review may come off as saying it's a complete ripoff of all the other songs I've listed, which is more than likely unfair. To say that they may have been influenced by the other bands I've listed, however, is probably not. That said, some say the Cult (a band whose every album I have) made a career out of ripping off other bands (i.e., the "Love Removal Machine" riff compared to the world-famous "Start Me Up" riff, and that "Take the Power" solo that you could swear Dean DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots was playing). In defense, picking up a guitar and trying to write a song that sounds like it's ripping off someone (at least vaguely) is a lot harder than it sounds, and I know this from personal experience. It's hard, and the ability to do it consistently is a gift.
Now I'll try to go track by track...
1) Intro (0:46) -- This album doesn't kick off with the bulldozer that was "Hell Song." This intro is a few strummed chords which are somewhat melancholy in tone. Keep in mind what I said about the music being more broad in terms of emotion, or maybe I should have said it's more dynamic. Anyway, the intro gets the listener ready for...
2) No Reason (3:04) -- ...this one's the "Hell Song" of this album. The catchy chorus, the catchy riff, the ability to make the listener feel like they've been through something afterward. It's faster than "Hell Song," though, and all the repeating of "hey" has got to make it a live favorite when they tour with the incorrigible Good Charlotte. "Hell Song" had a point to it (and a very personal point to the band members themselves), and this one's got a point as well.
3) We're All to Blame (3:38) -- The first single. You may have seen the video on MTV(2) with all the Solid Gold dancers, and the '70s-style filter on the camera (or maybe they just used old cameras). By this point, people will probably realize that Sum 41 isn't just writing songs about "that guy sucks," "authority sucks," or anything that they've been stereotyped with. This song sure as hell isn't about breaking up with a girlfriend.
4) Angels with Dirty Faces (2:23) -- A slow, dark starter. There's something Linkin Park-y about the chorus (remember that whole secondary yelling thing in the chorus of "One Step Closer"), which I'm not suggesting is a bad thing. There's a number of moments on this album that sound like other bands.
5) Some Say (3:26) -- I can imagine Liam Gallagher singing the verses in this song. There's something quite Oasis-like about the beginning of the song, and Deryck's vocal delivery seems like it may be taking a page out of Liam's book. There's a nice melodic lead for the bridge of the song as well, and some nice lead fills during the final verse. Okay, this song might be about breaking up with a girlfriend, but you could also say it's about taking responsibility too, so it's not blatant.
6) The Bitter End (2:51) -- This is the song that grabbed me the most on the first listen because I'm hoping Sum 41 matures into an all-out metal band. There's some definitely Metallica-sounding moments. The first riff sounds like a variation of the opening of "Through the Never." The first solo is reminiscent of the first solo from "Battery." The second (extended) solo has somewhat of an identical framework to another later solo in "Battery." Then the "Through the Never"-like riff is played again toward the end, and the end movement is a lot like the end movement of "Battery." Some might call it somehwat of a rip-off, but from these guys I call it pure fun.
7) Open Your Eyes (2:44) -- I know System of a Down didn't invent hyper hi-hats during the verses, but it's nicely used here. Man, this one's got a catchy sing-along chorus too. I have to note that I thought the chorus was going to go half-time on me when I was just listening to it, but it stayed at full speed. Nice bridge is here, along with a neat melodic solo, evoking a memory of the end of Tom Morello's solo on "Like a Stone."
8) Slipping Away (2:29) -- This one starts with acoustic guitar, and an effect on the vocal (think start of Foo Fighters' "Doll"), which is a departure. Definitely conveys a feeling of helplessness, as indicated by the title. The strings section adds to this, and the notes are ominous when they're brought forward in the mix. The song seems to end a bit prematurely, but to expect longer songs from a band whose songs never crack 3:30 is a stretch.
9) I'm Not the One (3:34) -- This one might be as memorable as "Hell Song" or "No Reason." Again, I'm getting this feeling of Linkin Park ("Faint" this time, maybe) in there. Ah yes, metal-style palm-muting in the bridge. Good stuff. I'm racking my brain trying to figure out what other song ends with those three notes, and I'll probably edit this post when I finally remember it.
10) Welcome to Hell (1:56) -- As you can tell by the time, it's a shorty. Cone has a spotlight moment here with a little fill over just the drums. Nice buildup for the bridge of the song with the space-outty guitar. Also, I'm pretty sure I heard double-bass drums in the song (yeah!!).
11) Pieces (3:01) -- The beginning of this one reminds me of the beginning of the closing track off the last album. Deryck's softer, more tame voice is maturing quite nicely. This may be the most poppy song on the album. This is also the second song that's on the sticker on the front of the album. I hope they don't get pigeonholed by this song. We saw what happened to Staind -- "It's Been Awhile" took off, and now the public en masse (though definitely not the best connoisseurs of music) won't deal with anything other than a slow ballad from them ("So Far Away"). And that's a shame because Staind did rock at one time.
12) There's No Solution (3:18) -- There's something a lot like Linkin Park "Crawling" during the verse in this song: the vocal delivery, the drum beat, the high instrumental notes (trade in sampler for guitar). Definitely no lung-shredding chorus in this song, however.
13) 88 (4:40) -- There's a really nice chord change in the first part of the first verse (during which there is piano). The first solo has an effect on it that reminds me of the first solo of "Go With the Flow" by Queens of the Stone Age. And then they end the album on a crushing note. I think the first solo after the 2-minute mark reminds me of a lead on "The Four Horsemen" by Metallica. And the final solo is very Hammett-esque, with wah-wah pedal and everything. After the solo ends, the song slows to a feedback spaceout, much like the end of the album version of Weezer's "Undone - the Sweater Song." Creepy use of strings is once again incorporated.
I think album as a whole is better than its predecessor, the solid Does This Feel Infected?. As I've said, the lyrics seem more thoughtful and inspired. There's stuff in it to satisfy the core fans, there's stuff to satisfy the people who hope they're on their way to going metal (hand raised), and there's stuff suggesting that they're maturing (in songwriting AND lyrically) musically. I like to judge the consistency of albums, and I'd have to listen to this one a few more times through to get a hold of it. After about a handful of listens, though, it seems to be average to above average in terms of consistency. In terms of stretching themselves out musically, though, I think Sum 41 did a pretty good job, showing that they can slow it down a notch and still be themselves.
[Edit 17 Oct -- I thought wrong. An article in Guitar World reveals that the album was done before Sum 41 left for the Congo, but Deryck penned "We're All to Blame" after the band got back from Africa. Though that song is the only one that directly reflects their feeling after the journey to Africa, it has been hailed as the one song that is the essence, or the album as a whole.]
About the album and the band members (no creative nicknames like Stevo 32 or Dave Brownsound this time; no names at all are given in the liner notes)
Running time -- just over 37 minutes
Deryck Whibley -- guitar, lead vocals
Dave Baksh -- (lead) guitar
Cone McCaslin (usu. known as simply "Cone") -- bass guitar
Steve Jocz -- drums
I've added this line here after writing the rest of the review. It occurs to me that it might be completely unfair. Why? I heard what I was hearing in the songs and took down the other songs and bands that came to mind as a result. So this review may come off as saying it's a complete ripoff of all the other songs I've listed, which is more than likely unfair. To say that they may have been influenced by the other bands I've listed, however, is probably not. That said, some say the Cult (a band whose every album I have) made a career out of ripping off other bands (i.e., the "Love Removal Machine" riff compared to the world-famous "Start Me Up" riff, and that "Take the Power" solo that you could swear Dean DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots was playing). In defense, picking up a guitar and trying to write a song that sounds like it's ripping off someone (at least vaguely) is a lot harder than it sounds, and I know this from personal experience. It's hard, and the ability to do it consistently is a gift.
Now I'll try to go track by track...
1) Intro (0:46) -- This album doesn't kick off with the bulldozer that was "Hell Song." This intro is a few strummed chords which are somewhat melancholy in tone. Keep in mind what I said about the music being more broad in terms of emotion, or maybe I should have said it's more dynamic. Anyway, the intro gets the listener ready for...
2) No Reason (3:04) -- ...this one's the "Hell Song" of this album. The catchy chorus, the catchy riff, the ability to make the listener feel like they've been through something afterward. It's faster than "Hell Song," though, and all the repeating of "hey" has got to make it a live favorite when they tour with the incorrigible Good Charlotte. "Hell Song" had a point to it (and a very personal point to the band members themselves), and this one's got a point as well.
3) We're All to Blame (3:38) -- The first single. You may have seen the video on MTV(2) with all the Solid Gold dancers, and the '70s-style filter on the camera (or maybe they just used old cameras). By this point, people will probably realize that Sum 41 isn't just writing songs about "that guy sucks," "authority sucks," or anything that they've been stereotyped with. This song sure as hell isn't about breaking up with a girlfriend.
4) Angels with Dirty Faces (2:23) -- A slow, dark starter. There's something Linkin Park-y about the chorus (remember that whole secondary yelling thing in the chorus of "One Step Closer"), which I'm not suggesting is a bad thing. There's a number of moments on this album that sound like other bands.
5) Some Say (3:26) -- I can imagine Liam Gallagher singing the verses in this song. There's something quite Oasis-like about the beginning of the song, and Deryck's vocal delivery seems like it may be taking a page out of Liam's book. There's a nice melodic lead for the bridge of the song as well, and some nice lead fills during the final verse. Okay, this song might be about breaking up with a girlfriend, but you could also say it's about taking responsibility too, so it's not blatant.
6) The Bitter End (2:51) -- This is the song that grabbed me the most on the first listen because I'm hoping Sum 41 matures into an all-out metal band. There's some definitely Metallica-sounding moments. The first riff sounds like a variation of the opening of "Through the Never." The first solo is reminiscent of the first solo from "Battery." The second (extended) solo has somewhat of an identical framework to another later solo in "Battery." Then the "Through the Never"-like riff is played again toward the end, and the end movement is a lot like the end movement of "Battery." Some might call it somehwat of a rip-off, but from these guys I call it pure fun.
7) Open Your Eyes (2:44) -- I know System of a Down didn't invent hyper hi-hats during the verses, but it's nicely used here. Man, this one's got a catchy sing-along chorus too. I have to note that I thought the chorus was going to go half-time on me when I was just listening to it, but it stayed at full speed. Nice bridge is here, along with a neat melodic solo, evoking a memory of the end of Tom Morello's solo on "Like a Stone."
8) Slipping Away (2:29) -- This one starts with acoustic guitar, and an effect on the vocal (think start of Foo Fighters' "Doll"), which is a departure. Definitely conveys a feeling of helplessness, as indicated by the title. The strings section adds to this, and the notes are ominous when they're brought forward in the mix. The song seems to end a bit prematurely, but to expect longer songs from a band whose songs never crack 3:30 is a stretch.
9) I'm Not the One (3:34) -- This one might be as memorable as "Hell Song" or "No Reason." Again, I'm getting this feeling of Linkin Park ("Faint" this time, maybe) in there. Ah yes, metal-style palm-muting in the bridge. Good stuff. I'm racking my brain trying to figure out what other song ends with those three notes, and I'll probably edit this post when I finally remember it.
10) Welcome to Hell (1:56) -- As you can tell by the time, it's a shorty. Cone has a spotlight moment here with a little fill over just the drums. Nice buildup for the bridge of the song with the space-outty guitar. Also, I'm pretty sure I heard double-bass drums in the song (yeah!!).
11) Pieces (3:01) -- The beginning of this one reminds me of the beginning of the closing track off the last album. Deryck's softer, more tame voice is maturing quite nicely. This may be the most poppy song on the album. This is also the second song that's on the sticker on the front of the album. I hope they don't get pigeonholed by this song. We saw what happened to Staind -- "It's Been Awhile" took off, and now the public en masse (though definitely not the best connoisseurs of music) won't deal with anything other than a slow ballad from them ("So Far Away"). And that's a shame because Staind did rock at one time.
12) There's No Solution (3:18) -- There's something a lot like Linkin Park "Crawling" during the verse in this song: the vocal delivery, the drum beat, the high instrumental notes (trade in sampler for guitar). Definitely no lung-shredding chorus in this song, however.
13) 88 (4:40) -- There's a really nice chord change in the first part of the first verse (during which there is piano). The first solo has an effect on it that reminds me of the first solo of "Go With the Flow" by Queens of the Stone Age. And then they end the album on a crushing note. I think the first solo after the 2-minute mark reminds me of a lead on "The Four Horsemen" by Metallica. And the final solo is very Hammett-esque, with wah-wah pedal and everything. After the solo ends, the song slows to a feedback spaceout, much like the end of the album version of Weezer's "Undone - the Sweater Song." Creepy use of strings is once again incorporated.
I think album as a whole is better than its predecessor, the solid Does This Feel Infected?. As I've said, the lyrics seem more thoughtful and inspired. There's stuff in it to satisfy the core fans, there's stuff to satisfy the people who hope they're on their way to going metal (hand raised), and there's stuff suggesting that they're maturing (in songwriting AND lyrically) musically. I like to judge the consistency of albums, and I'd have to listen to this one a few more times through to get a hold of it. After about a handful of listens, though, it seems to be average to above average in terms of consistency. In terms of stretching themselves out musically, though, I think Sum 41 did a pretty good job, showing that they can slow it down a notch and still be themselves.
[Edit 17 Oct -- I thought wrong. An article in Guitar World reveals that the album was done before Sum 41 left for the Congo, but Deryck penned "We're All to Blame" after the band got back from Africa. Though that song is the only one that directly reflects their feeling after the journey to Africa, it has been hailed as the one song that is the essence, or the album as a whole.]
