This is formula contemporary rock.
Fortunately there's a difference between those bands, desperate for success, who flounder about trying vainly to put all the elements of the formula together, and those bands who bring an accomplished, slick, streamlined version to the table.
Trapt's 3
rd album is once again brimful of radio friendly, guitar driven music, occasionally showing us the last remnants of the band's garage rock background and a interesting tendency toward Sting like, faux reggae rhythms (
'Forget The Rain').
Ace producer, Garth (RATM/RHCP/Nickelback) Richardson gives the band just enough headroom to flex and stretch their wiry melodies, but not so far as to alienate their considerable fanbase.
What's interesting is this : having outgrown grunge, contemporary rock has now settled into a comfortable, melodic rock groove. It's a spikier, lower slung groove perhaps, reflecting the world we live in, but it's mellowed out and it's stopped challenging the status quo.
The rat-a-tat, tension / release, quiet / loud approach of the anthemic
'Contagious' actually works like nobody ever thought of this before. The singalong chorus is the icing on the cake and that's what makes the song standout.
Memorably melodic openers
'Wasteland' and
'Who's Going Home With You Tonight' benefit greatly from new guitarist, Robb Torres's cleanly crafted melody lines, sometimes shadowing Chris Brown's vocals, sometimes running ahead. It's a clever device, giving the guitar a lyrical dimension.
Talking of which, Brown's angsty, painracked voice and his songs still suggest a life less optimistic, though
'Forget About The Rain' also suggests he's run out of decent metaphors.
That said, few modern rock bands can write and deliver compact, tune-packed choruses, armed with twisting hooks, like '
Cover Up' and
'Ready When You Are', and at the same time garnish the songs with ear catching studio trickery.
'Only Through . . .' may not be a world beater, but it shows a band who should have the confidence to take a few more chances the next time.
Written by
Brian Sunday, July 12, 2009
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