Review Summary: "Empty me, empty nation. Emptied us of inspiration. Bastard sons and broken daughters, all bow down to our corporate father."
What can be said about what is played on the radio today? Well, considering most of us do not even LISTEN to it anymore, due to the overwhelming amount of pop carbon copy bull*** that the airwaves are flooded with, certain gems tend to get overshadowed and forgotten. Being an avid listener of rock radio (yes I'm old school), I love the classics, but most of the "new" music played makes me cringe. Bands that sold out long ago such as Three Days Grace, Linkin Park, and for god sake, Nickelback unfortunately fill most of the airtime. It was almost a relief to hear commercials come on after hearing ALL of this in a row one night, but it's what I heard AFTER the commercials that peaked my interest. The song was called This Is The Time, and once I heard the artist's name, I made a note in my phone to go buy that album the next day.
The album opens with the short, ambient, yet interesting Ocean Floor that really sets the tone for what's to come. Some heavily distorted and rather distant palm-muting riffs come in accompanied by some drumming. Once it changes to song 2 the distortion and distance disappears, as This Is The Time (Ballast) comes in full force with these same riffs and drumming that will get even the most hesitant of skeptics bobbing their head to the beat. After about ten seconds of that, the most noticeable feature of this band shows up, in the form of Jonny Hawkins' soaring vocal range. At first listen on the radio, I had thought maybe Myles Kennedy had released a new song, but no, this was better. This guy had a subtle use of deep growls thrown in there too, which I don't think I've ever heard from Kennedy. After listening to the whole song, including the neat little bridge containing a guitar solo accompanied by a nice drum breakdown, the interesting title of Christ Copyright is up next.
A short distorted electronic frenzy is presented, which surprised me after how straight-forward and heavy the last song was. Not to mention the sudden change in tempo. That same firestorm of of electronics suddenly turns into guitar riffs and drums replacing it, while keeping the tempo the same. Toward the end, an unexpected twist in the form of a breakdown is thrown in the mix, and it's just short enough to work. The song showcases lyrics that can possibly be taken a few ways, such as: the government is like a corrupt god or as a shot at overly-religious hypocrites who use it as power against others, but I saw it as how every religion believes THEIR god is the best, and only their views are correct. However one chooses to decipher it, the lyrics have depth which keeps the listener coming back for more. Just about every song on the album showcases quality lyricism. In The Matthew Effect, I believe more religious tones are used, as Jonny is apparently pissed at someone who thinks they are holier than thou ("Jesus Christ"). Matthew was an apostle who is considered a martyr in some religions (most notably Roman Catholicism), but others like the Church of Christ don't consider him one. Jesus Christ on the other hand is believed to be the biggest martyr of them all by most major Western religions. A very interesting concept to write about, even if you are like myself and not very religious. Mr. MTV is another big lyrical note worthy of admiration that basically takes a shot at the music industry, just as I did in my opening paragraph.
One of the best songs on the album simply due to the catchy riffs and hooks it provides is If I Were. The opening riff and bass line mix nicely with the slowed down pace of Hawkin's voice in the middle. Eventually, we rise to the chorus before that simple yet tasty riff is brought back. It is this kind of production on each song that makes the album flow so nicely. The production of the album is very good, as no songs are fillers that just simply blend in with one another. There is a good variety of upbeat tempo and heaviness mixed subtly with well-placed acoustics throughout. The song Jenny is a perfect example of this. Beginning with a soft acoustic riff accompanied by emotional lyrics, we receive the impression that this is based on personal experience. The song gradually grows in sound, until all of the instruments kick in after the first minute. Speaking of personal experience, the final track on the album, God Went North, is one of the most epic ballads heard in recent memory. A picture is painted of a hospital room surrounded by flowers, as he reluctantly awaits the passing of his mother. "The petals they weep. They're uprooted like me. Cut from the cord of their mother, who created everything". The true raw emotions are felt not only through the pen, but in the end of the song where Jonny Hawkins hits some of the most ridiculous notes ever heard. I had the picture of him down on his knees screaming these words in the hospital, and the experience felt while listening to this is truly chilling.
Hailing from San Antonio, Nothing More definitely makes the great state of Texas proud with their self-titled release. I almost gave this a 5, but I didn't for two reasons. First of all, nobody on here ever believes anything it is THAT good, and you just end up labeled a fanboy. The second reason is due to the ending. If the album would have ended on the epic God Went North as mentioned above, instead of with the wasteful instrumental of Pyre, it would have been a climactic ending to a truly enjoyable album. Regardless, Nothing More is definitely one of the better albums of the year. If these guys can manage to continue growing, they will become HUGE. If that does happen, hopefully Nothing More follow their own Mr. MTV's lyrics and do not "bow down to our corporate father" like so many of their counterparts unfortunately have.
