Review Summary: Dig your grave, live your life
Puddle of Mudd have never been darlings. In fact, the opposite is quite true: they may very well be one of the most hated bands on the planet at this point, and not only has the quality of their music been consistently panned post-
Come Clean; Wes Scantlin's drunken antics in between previous album
Volume 4 and
Welcome to Galvania have certainly not helped his band's case. Fast forward to 2019: Wes Scantlin is officially sober, his personal life is back on the rails (as much as it can be, at least), he's got the band back together, and they have officially begun attempting their comeback.
Welcome to Galvania was a genuine shock; Wes and the people who tolerate him at this very moment have provided the best Puddle of Mudd material since
Famous, and it's by far their most consistent album to date.
Storming right out of the gate with "You Don't Know", it's perfectly clear that this isn't the Puddle of Mudd of 10 years ago as Scantlin laments how his addictions have all but destroyed him, and how he has virtually no one to blame but himself for not seeking the help he needed. From start to finish,
Welcome to Galvania is essentially an auto-biography, as Scantlin talks about how far he has fallen. It's when he's cutting the standard post-grunge bulls**t about partying/women/whatever that Puddle of Mudd is at their most interesting; tracks like "Uh Oh" and "Diseased Almost" show renewed energy that the band hasn't exhibited since the
Come Clean days. One of the strongest points of
Welcome to Galvania is the consistency; almost every song is focused and never really overstays its welcome. It isn't until "Just Tell Me" when the band starts slipping a bit; while the song isn't exactly
terrible, it's definitely a step down from the remainder of the album, and "Kiss It All Goodbye" is when the album hits its low point; it's a song that doesn't even know why it exists, let alone the purpose. Fortunately, closing track "Slide Away" provides a satisfying end to the album, as Scantlin realizes that despite the fact that his personal life has been re-railed, he will more than likely never reach the places he did even in 2009, warning the listener to not make the same mistakes he did; and with that,
Welcome to Galvania closes on a pretty depressing note for a Puddle of Mudd album.
The instrumental work really isn't anything special because it's pretty much your standard radio-rock fare. What makes
Welcome to Galvania a great album is the vibrant energy and emotion exhibited throughout the album; it is essentially Scantlin trying to honestly redeem himself as much as he can for the last 10 years of insanity, a redemption arc at its core. As to whether or not you're not sold on the band, it depends on your reasons for disliking the band; if its over the lyrics or simply for being post-grunge it might change your mind, but if its because of Scantlin's voice you will not be converted. But for those who have either enjoyed the band or are just discovering them,
Welcome to Galvania is not just a satisfying listen, but the magnum opus of Puddle of Mudd.
