Simon Rushworth
Canadian hard rock heroes Theory Of A Deadman launch their latest bid to emerge from the shadows of Nickelback with the release of their soon-to-be-huge Scars & Souvenirs and this is the only record you really need to hear about this week.
However, here at rushonrock we like to keep you up to date with what’s bubbling under and we’ve also got a sneak preview of power punk trio Sorry And The Sinatras’ debut album plus we take a look at some particularly pleasant indie musings from West Midlanders The Subkicks.
Theory Of A Deadman – Scars & Souvenirs (Roadrunner)
Think uber rockers Nickelback fused with fellow arena floor fillers Shinedown and you won’t go far wrong with any of the 13 perfectly polished and superbly produced tracks which make up TOAD’s new album.
If the Vancouver crew really do want to be set apart from either of the above then this is no way to forge their own identity. But perhaps they know when they’re onto a good things and better be spoken about in the same breath as two stadium rock luminaries than a bunch of struggling commercial dead ducks.
Singer Tyler Connolly is straight from the Chad K school of growling angst and on new single Hate My Life and the epic Crutch it’s not difficult to imagine this bloke really means what he says. But what he says is often pretty basic stuff – the banal lyricism of Bad Girlfriend is toe-curling in its adolescent idiocy.
Overall a tasty enough rock feast boasting the odd bad apple. But that’s what the fast forward button has always been for.
rushonrock rated: 7/10 Interesting Theory
Sorry And The Sinatras – Highball Roller (Undergroove)
This self-indulgent exercise in punk by numbers rattled along at such a pace I barely had time to finish my Irn Bru and vodka. But it’s fair to say I needed at least two more after a desperately disappointing debut by Scott Sorry’s eagerly antcipated side project required some serious drowning of sorrows and left a thirst for true quality.
The wacky Wildheart is one of the most mesmeric guitarists in rock and with frontman Ginger always off doing his own thing who could begrudge a muso with time on his hands trying his hand at something different? But this is not only different, it’s dire. And it does Sorry’s rep no good at all.
Highball Roller is one of the worst examples of an established star drifting out of the box for some time – compare it with Phil Collen’s punk-fuelled Man Raze project and it pales into insignificance. Even opener Black & Blue was pretty boring stuff. Which is something you can never say about Sorry’s Wildhearts work.
rushonrock rated: 3/10 Sorry Effort
Subkicks – Threes, Fives And Sevens (SNS Records)
Whether rushonrock is the right place for this riff-lite indie rock funk fusion remains open to question but we do enjoy the occasional mellow moment. And Subkicks provide them in droves, never sounding more laid back than on the Jellyfish-like closing track Vanilla – the perfect soundtrack to a lazy May day.
At times sounding like a cross between Lightning Seeds – check out Last Time – and early-era Elbow, it’s often difficult to see the rock element through the forest of indie confusion. But it is there and the dub-fuelled quality of Barricades alone makes this record worth taking a punt on.
Not every rocker’s cup of tea but you can’t always kick back and relax in the face of Sepultura, Venom and Black Label Society. Slip this on when your lass comes round and the opportunities could be limitless.
rushonrock rated: 6/10 The Sub Standard