1) You hear a lot of hype about how alterna-metal upstarts Papa Roach have grown up on this sophomore major-label album.

2) Some of that hype is true -- musically, lovehatetragedy represents a step forward for the band, which sidesteps the usual overdriven rap-rock cliches in favour of more brooding and bruising material -- along with an invigorated slab of Detroit rawk in M-80 (explosive energy movement).

3) Too bad singer Jacoby Shaddix -- formerly Coby Dick -- doesn't join the party. Like you'd figure, lovehatetragedy is the chronicle of a tortured (and apparently torturous) romance that prompts Shaddix to spend most of this CD wailing about the miserable depths to which his tortured soul has sunk. Yawn.

4) Confession may be good for the soul, but it doesn't always make for good rock 'n' roll.

5) Still, any band that includes a suitably tense and scrappy cover of The Pixies' Gouge Away on their CD wins an extra half-star.

Friday, June 28, 2002

Confession doesn't always make for good rock