'American Tragedy' is the new album from rock rappers, Hollywood Undead, the follow up to the 2009 debut
'Swan Song'.
The message is in the band name, right?
Hollywood as vampire, sucking the life from all those unlucky enough to stray into its path.
And these are the stories, unfolding in song, some confessional, some defiant, some social commentary. But all narratives coming to the same Dantean conclusion: "Abandon Hope . . . etc etc", following up on 'Swan Song's Milton referencing last track,
'Paradise Lost', hidden away at the end of the reissue version.
Very literary, these guys.
The sound is commercial, accessible, like the reconstituted best bits from Eminem, Linkin Park and The Beastie Boys, processed into a smooth, palatable, easily digestible rock rap stew, laced with hard rock riffs, pounding rap rhythms and memorably melodic hooks.
The drugs (and the alcohol -
'Comin In Hot' namechecks every designer drink imaginable) don't work. That's the HU's worldview, and the songs reflect that outlook, taking us on a careering, rock rap thrill ride through Hollywood's dark, seedy underbelly, revealing what lurks beneath the veneer of civilised urbane sophistication.
The album is opened by the hard hitting
'Been To Hell', a stall setting, scene stealing, steaming slab of rap/rock that pulls no punches and makes its philosophy clear - "Down Here You Live Forever".
Amusingly, on '
Apologise' the band don't hesitate to admit their inadequacies.
It's all pantomime of course and we're all in on the joke:- "Got my middle finger raised as I'm runnin' red lights.And I never say I'm sorry at the end of the night."
'Bullet', '
Glory' and '
Gansta Sexy' - though every track qualifies - are just chocka with barbed observations baited with black humour. In turns entertaining, sombre, rocking, scary, but always performed with a meticulous and dramatic hand.
Musically, although guitars are in evidence, there's a huge emphasis on programming, which won't go down well with rock fans, but it's the vocals and a sizeable quotient of good tunes that count. If nothing else '
I Don't Wanna Die' and
'Hear Me Now' have pulse quickening hooks, with shock horror, boyband pop sensibilities.
There is nothing spontaneous or organic about
'American Tragedy'. These guys know what they are doing. The fact that it's done so well may lead people to miss the point.
Recommended.
Written by
Brian Saturday, June 18, 2011
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