Reader Review: Wonder What's Next
J.R. Scott reviews the new album from Chevelle.
But what about the music on this album? It's certainly a solid piece of nu-metal infused rock. The riffs are large, and dark and meaty. The lyrics are also dark, but soar through lilting harmonies and long wails. In the past the band has been compared to the band Tool, and this reference still holds weight, but Chevelle is certainly beginning to find a voice of their own. The songs are well structured, not nearly as sloppy as those found on Chevelle's previous albumPoint #1, most tracks are driven by quiet verses met with soaring, and typically triumphant choruses, many of which are quite good. Particularly worthy of note are the tracks "Comfortable Liar," "Send The Pain Below," and "An Evening With El Diablo." There is also a decent variety of styles on the album, with softer selections such as "Closure" and "One Lonely Visitor," a bouncy track that is a meditation on the mosh pit idiot called "Forfeit" and punishing straight forward outbursts, most notably the title track. However Chevelle is at their best when sticking with the mid-tempo rock tracks that showcase the bands harmonics.
The lyrics are quite solid, and while the subject matter features many of the current hard rock cliches, family problems, relationship problems, and difficulty with anger management, each topic is handled with a maturity that is almost surprising, and certainly commendable. For instance, on the song "Family System," which is a song about the breakdown of the family unit, lead singer Pete Loeffler doesn't really address how he's affected, he instead stresses getting things right, screaming "just grow up" after each period of whining. And on the track "Comfortable Liar," about an ex-girlfriend who was apparently what the title would imply, there is no mention of his own hurt. Perhaps a little frustration and anger, but the accusations are not for pity, or even a veiled complaint.
The real downfall of this album, is not that the songs aren't good, because for the most part they are, it's simply that it doesn't really bring anything new to the table. Take away the maturity in the lyrics and Chevelle still sounds like a band trying to find its own unique voice. And while they've taken large strides in this direction from their first album, they still sound a bit too much like your above average Ozzfest second stage band. Still, it is certainly a solid offering, if this style of music is your particular brand of sonic enjoyment, with several songs that will remain stuck in your head.