HURTSMILE - review added 18th January 2011
Album Review: Hurtsmile (self-titled) (2011)
For fans of: Various... and plenty of WTF moments
Hurtsmile - Gary Cherone on vocals, Mark Cherone on guitars, Joe Pessia on bass and mandolin, and Dana Spellman on drums - marks Extreme singer Gary's first full album with his brother. It's rather difficult to know what to say about it apart from...WTF?
The sound is all over the place, ranging from chillout reggae through to grunge and soft metal. There are some seriously good individual moments, but there are plenty that'll make the average music fan reach for the "next track button" in double quick time.
Good:
Gary's voice is awesome. I've always liked his style and unique sound and it's no different here. There's plenty of good musicianship throughout the album, and the production by Gary and Joe is more than ample. I even like the lyrics in places - some of them are very well thought out and über-deep.
Not So Good:
The range of songs... This is about the most eclectic album you could ever hope to hear. It really is all over the show and makes for a difficult listen. Unless you like all genres, there WILL be something here that annoys you.
Yes, Gary has a wonderful voice, but he's so good he experiments in places and becomes a little show-off-annoying. What he does is impressive, but that means nothing if it's irritating.
The Songs:
'Love Thy Neighbor' is kind of catchy, 'Beyond The Garden - Kicking Against The Goads' is beautiful, and 'The Murder Of Daniel Faulkner (4699)' is an impressive piece. 'Just War Reprise' should be taken outside and shot.
In Summation:
Self indulgent or brilliant? Sadly it comes across as the former, and whilst there are songs here I really rate, as a whole I'm happy giving this a very wide birth.
Entertainment/Enjoyment:
Musicianship:
Vocals:
Song Writing:
Production:
Overall (Not An Average Of The Above):
Check out... Hmmm...
Track List:
01. Just War Theory
02. Stillborn
03. Love Thy Neighbor
04. Kaffur (Infidel)
05. Painter Paint
06. Tolerance Song
07. Set Me Free
08. Jesus Would You Meet Me
09. Slave
10. Beyond The Garden - Kicking Against The Goads
11. Just War Reprise
12. The Murder Of Daniel Faulkner (4699)
Label: Frontiers Records
Artist's website(s): Hurtsmile | MySpace | Facebook
