Chronic Future is a Southwestern band who claims to be the answer to the ho-hum mainstream rock many of us suffer from. However, many of their songs and members borrow directly from many other bands. For example, their main vocalist, Mike Busse, seems like the long lost son of Zack de la Rocha (Rage Against the Machine). Almost all of their songs use Busse’s nasal, hard hitting voice in the verses to create a hip-hop, rock type fusion that made Rage Against the Machine so popular. Busse rarely uses melody and occasionally adds screams to choruses, which are very reminiscent of the “screamo” type bands that Chronic Future claims to be the answer to. Their guitarist Ben Collins and bassist Brandon Lee also add to the vocal stylings, although their more melodic voices are usually only used in the choruses of their songs. Once again their voices are similar to the same emo type bands they boast about being different than. Drummer Barry Collins adds many solid beats and provides the backbone to the band and adds to Busse’s vocal stylings. The album is surprisingly formulaic for a band that claims to be so original. However, all of the songs are enjoyable to some extent, even if the band isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
The Pros
- Rapping in verses is a welcome change; very refreshing and different
- Good song structure, no “bad” songs on the album per se.
- Instruments compliment the vocals well (for the most part).
- Good lyrical content, songs are focused more about moving on and persevering rather than your average “lay down and die” themes.
The Cons
- While still nicely structured, the songs all seem the same with melodic choruses and rapping verses and after a few listens the songs become very predictable.
- Choruses of songs are all extremely similar.
- Vocals almost always overshadow the music.
1. Time and Time Again: The band’s breakout hit, follows the formula of most of their other songs with rapping verses and melodic chorus. The bass line in the verse provides great rhythm for the rapping while drums provide a solid beat. This song also has an extremely well done chorus lead-in as well as chorus, especially since it does not use strummed power chords like many of the other songs on the album, Busse’s screams also add a very nice punch to the song. Well written lyrics about not being so depressed all the time. It is evident why this was a single.
5/5
2. World Keeps Spinning (A Chronic Future): The song opens with a good acoustic guitar line and a well done bass line, however this is the last chance for the bass to shine on the album, Lee’s bass playing seems to be stifled due to his vocal duties in the band. Another rapped verse with a nice drum beat backing the vocals along with an acoustic guitar and what seems like a horn section to give the listener an interesting ska like verse. An average chorus much like all the others. Good bridge with the memorable line “it’s comfortable doing what’s been done before” that leads into the ho-hum chorus again. Overall an enjoyable song that manages to be different enough from the last song to still be very interesting.
4/5
3. Shellshocked: Chronic Future somehow manages to make song each different enough to keep one interested even though it is somewhat obvious how similar each song is. This song manages to mix it up by adding melodic vocals in the verse, making it softer than the last 2 songs, with Busse contributing only in backing vocals and the song’s bridge. Still a well done song with a somewhat boring verse, yet the chorus is engaging.
3/5
4. Stop Pretending: An average song of the album with an average chorus and verse. The only highlight is the song’s bridge with a call and response section that is very well done. This song is average altogether, not many stand-out moments like other songs on the album.
2.5/5
5. New York, NY: One of the better songs on the album. Good lyrical content about going to New York and trying to make it big. Nice call and response verse with Busse and Collins in the verse. Decent chorus with a good drum beat to keep the rap moving forward. Also a good funky guitar riff during the verse, yet Collins is right back to strumming power chords in the chorus. Overall a good song with a good verse and again another decent chorus.
3.5/5
6. Thank You: Well, here we are, the boring part of the album, the less than decent chorus brings this song down, but not even Busse’s rap can bring it back up again, however it does make it slightly more listenable, a cool segue into the next song, however.
2.5/5
7. Memories in F Minor: A cool echoing guitar line opens this song and Busse once again raps his way through the verse, yet it is still well done with good lyrics about a suicidal friend, the chorus follows the same formula but it isn’t quite as bad as some of the other songs. Overall an enjoyable song that manages to set itself apart from the others.
4/5
8. Wicked Games: Another melodic verse changes the pace nicely in this song. Busse does very little rapping in this song yet in the places he decides to chime in with his backing vocals it makes the song that much better. A nicely done song, Busse’s backing vocals in this song make it stand out.
3.5/5
9. Static on the Radio: A soft, melodic verse opens up this song and leads into another boring chorus. Not much to say here, not very good, very repetitive.
2/5
10. Eyes Wide Open: The song opens up with a surprisingly catchy guitar line, then into a nicely rapped verse. A cool pre-chorus then right back into the formulaic strummed power chords, however the chorus is actually better than most on the album. Overall this song is interesting and stands out from some of the boring songs on the CD.
3.5/5
11. Apology for Non-Symmetry: A song for the band to brag about how different they are, ironically the opening riff is almost identical to the previous song. Good rap once again by Busse, melodic pre-chorus from Collins, then for a change Busse sings a very nice melodic chorus mixing things up very nicely. Overall a better than average song that helps close out the album.
4/5
12. Say Goodbye: One of the best songs on the album. An outstanding rap from Busse then a slower melodic chorus helps mixes things up slightly. Slightly slower than most of the other songs, this helps bring the album to a close.
4.5/5
Overall a very well done album, just about all of the songs have good moments in them and while all the songs can get extremely repetitive, the album is at least worth a good look. Even though the members of Chronic Future are not the saviors of modern rock as they claim to be, they still are a very solid band with lots of potential. Overall I give the album an above-average 3.5/5
