Lost Prophets - The Betrayed

YOURZ

This is another recent purchase I took a chance on recently.  The only thing I knew about this band was that they were from the same town in Wales of Sir Tom Jones, being the wonderfully Welsh-named Pontypridd.  And this is about all Lostprophets and Sir Tom have in common.  Musically, this five piece might have punk rock roots but their sound is from the same school as bands like Rage Against The Machine and Linkin Park. 

But some of the song titles reveal a touch of the emo-branding as well.  Mine mentions one such below and the other long-winded titles (If It Wasn't For Hate We'd Be Dead By Now, for instance) don't do them any favours.  Thankfully, the driving distortion and sharp melodies actually work well, in that MTV rock kind of way.

But when I compare it to favoured bands like Karnivool and Mastodon, unfortunately the Lostprophets wind up way down the list.  Maybe I need to be an angst-ridden post-teen to really get this.  But I'm neither and while I don't mind it, I'm not rushing out to buy anything else by them.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

MINE

Well, this wasn't just disappointing - it was downright infuriating.  These guys can't seem to figure out what sort of music they're playing, going from almost Rage Against the Machine-type songs, through downright U2 ripoffs, one number that sounded a bit like the Killers and another couple that said "Gee, 80's-sounding music is getting popular, maybe we'd better do that?"

Don't get me started on the lyrics.  Banal isn't among it.  I mean seriously, It's Not the End of the World, But I Can See it From Here?

Resolutely mediocre.

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

For more information go to http://www.lostprophets.com/

Mammal - The Majority

YOURZ

I don't quite know what to say about this band.  They came out of nowhere, grabbed a lot of attention from rock-minded fans in Australia, released a couple of live EPs and The Majority then promptly fell apart.  In the three years they were together, they played some enviable gigs and supports, including a turn on the Big Day Out stages right around Australia in 2009.  It kinda makes me wonder where they fucked up.

The Mammal rock formula is, well, formulaic but this isn't necessarily meant as an insult.  However, if you're a RATM fan, you might not necessarily approve, because there certainly are some similarities.  The music is tight, driving and suitably groove-based while lead vocalist Ezekiel Ox's vocals, particularly on the harder tracks, are very reminiscent of Zack de la Rocha although to his credit, Ox can and does sing too.

The Majority isn't bad, its just boring as batshit.  And while Mammal won an award for best live band at the Music Oz awards, it certainly wasn't enough to save the band from imploding before it really achieved anything.  Cruelly, perhaps, this really is no great loss, particularly if it means more dedicated, grounded and together bands now get a shot.

VERDICT: TURN IT DOWN

MINE

Pedestrian.  (YourZ sez: you were able to say in a single word what I couldn't manage in three paragraphs, damn it all)

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

For more information: http://mammaltheband.com/

Sugar Ray - Floored

MINE

Oh, that Sugar Ray.  OK, I remember now.  But I've never listened to this album before and I'm sure everyone who bought Floored because of the hit single Fly would have been scratching their heads as much as I did.  I mean, it's mostly shouty boy music.  Kinda Rage Against the Machine-ish.

It reminds me of the furore raised by No Doubt when Don't Speak was so mega for them.  I remember one work mate saying she threw their album Tragic Kingdom out because none of the other songs "were anywhere near as good and they were all too loud".

On Floored the only other song I recognise is RPM with its catchy refrain "I will let you down".  Their version of Adam and the Ants' Stand and Deliver really didn't ... deliver anything new, and most of the other songs gave me a headache.  So, a whole album for two songs?  My reaction's predictable.

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

YOURZ

I mentioned previously I used to write for a music publication, doing reviews, interviews and such.  This album was one of those I received to review.  Again, my dodgy memory being what it is, I don't remember what sort of review I gave it but I do recall being intrigued by the fact they had a DJ in the band (this was the late 90s).  These days, this is nothing unusal.  But then, the combination of rock guitars and scratches was new and kind of exciting.

But this in no way makes Sugar Ray or Floored trend setters.  For the most part, the album merely shows the band's template copies of the different alternative styles being played by better bands in their home state of California at the time.  With scratches. 

Then there's the song Fly.  It stands out because it's so very different from the rest of the songs on the album.  This song is a very obvious ripoff of the sound of another California band, Sublime, who fairly patented this kind of cruisy, dubby, summery sound.  Given this album came out not long after the tragic death of the lead singer of Sublime, Brad Nowell, I can't help but view the song, and Sugar Ray, with cynicism and contempt.

Oh yeah, the less said about 'Stand and Deliver', the better.  As Mine said, it fails to deliver, on any level.  Why this album has remained in the collection is anyone's guess.  Any takers?

VERDICT: THROW IT OUT

For more information: http://www.sugarray.com/