HelloAngel
ONE love, blood, life
[SIMG]http://forum.interference.com/gallery/data//585/11265hoobastank-sml.jpg[/SIMG]
By Conor FitzPatrick
2007.1
The drill sergeant’s voice in the background of “Born to Lead” (think “Full Metal Jacket”) may be a bit cheesy, but it is the perfect start to “Every Man For Himself,” Hoobastank’s third commercial release. Dan Estrin’s thundering guitar riffs drive a song that tries so hard to be against authority. In doing so, it follows a path that far too many hard rock artists have followed. Regardless of the subject matter of their songs, this is a band that seeks commercial success, and does so without any edginess. Lead singer Doug Robb may exclaim “we were born to lead!” but his band has yet to do so in the world of hard rock.
Hoobastank is a band with tremendous talent, but has done very little to separate itself from its contemporaries (Nickelback comes to mind). No band can rely simply on a few hit singles to propel and maintain its popularity.
That being said, the singles on this release are sure to be hits. “Inside of You” has a wonderfully obvious title and the right amount of distortion to go with it. Many may have already seen its music video, which features more than a few PG-13 stripteases from some hired extras.
“The First of Me” continues somewhat with the anti-establishment theme of “Born to Lead.” Its message basically is that this band is not the next anyone; they are the first Hoobastank. This may be true, but they are a band with a commercial identity crisis. Are they the hard rock outfit that made “Crawling in the Dark” or the (mostly) soft rock band that crossed over with “The Reason”?
The crowning achievement of this album has to be “If I Were You,” which is about the way Velvet Revolver’s Scott Weiland treated the band when they toured together. Robb asks (to Weiland, I suppose) “have you forgotten how hard it used to be?” Above all, this single addresses the fact that successful artists need to appreciate how much effort and time it takes to get to the top. It is breath of fresh air.
Anyone who expects to find another chart-crossing, 24/7 airplay hit like “The Reason” isn’t likely to find it here. “If Only” seems to be the kind of ballad that attempts to replicate such success, but it falls flat on its feet.
One unexpected highlight of the album is the Pink Floyd-inspired “More Than a Memory,” a seven-minute ballad that features flutes and trumpets. While not a song that Roger Waters would ever want credit for, it closes the album on a soft and contemplative note.
Other than its brief foray into Jethro Tull-like prog rock, Hoobastank has put forth the album that everyone expected. It is sure to please their fans, but it remains to be seen whether they will gain any new ones.
Hoobastank begins a tour of Japan and Southeast Asia this month.
For more information on Hoobastank, visit the official website and MySpace page.
By Conor FitzPatrick
2007.1
The drill sergeant’s voice in the background of “Born to Lead” (think “Full Metal Jacket”) may be a bit cheesy, but it is the perfect start to “Every Man For Himself,” Hoobastank’s third commercial release. Dan Estrin’s thundering guitar riffs drive a song that tries so hard to be against authority. In doing so, it follows a path that far too many hard rock artists have followed. Regardless of the subject matter of their songs, this is a band that seeks commercial success, and does so without any edginess. Lead singer Doug Robb may exclaim “we were born to lead!” but his band has yet to do so in the world of hard rock.
Hoobastank is a band with tremendous talent, but has done very little to separate itself from its contemporaries (Nickelback comes to mind). No band can rely simply on a few hit singles to propel and maintain its popularity.
That being said, the singles on this release are sure to be hits. “Inside of You” has a wonderfully obvious title and the right amount of distortion to go with it. Many may have already seen its music video, which features more than a few PG-13 stripteases from some hired extras.
“The First of Me” continues somewhat with the anti-establishment theme of “Born to Lead.” Its message basically is that this band is not the next anyone; they are the first Hoobastank. This may be true, but they are a band with a commercial identity crisis. Are they the hard rock outfit that made “Crawling in the Dark” or the (mostly) soft rock band that crossed over with “The Reason”?
The crowning achievement of this album has to be “If I Were You,” which is about the way Velvet Revolver’s Scott Weiland treated the band when they toured together. Robb asks (to Weiland, I suppose) “have you forgotten how hard it used to be?” Above all, this single addresses the fact that successful artists need to appreciate how much effort and time it takes to get to the top. It is breath of fresh air.
Anyone who expects to find another chart-crossing, 24/7 airplay hit like “The Reason” isn’t likely to find it here. “If Only” seems to be the kind of ballad that attempts to replicate such success, but it falls flat on its feet.
One unexpected highlight of the album is the Pink Floyd-inspired “More Than a Memory,” a seven-minute ballad that features flutes and trumpets. While not a song that Roger Waters would ever want credit for, it closes the album on a soft and contemplative note.
Other than its brief foray into Jethro Tull-like prog rock, Hoobastank has put forth the album that everyone expected. It is sure to please their fans, but it remains to be seen whether they will gain any new ones.
Hoobastank begins a tour of Japan and Southeast Asia this month.
For more information on Hoobastank, visit the official website and MySpace page.
