SHADES APART
Sonic Boom (Universal)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

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They used to be gutsy, amusing, clever, creative, willing to take chances, and a lot more fun. You know... punk. Now they want to make money. They've been starving for 14 years, so I guess they should be allowed to reach for the brass ring. Sadly, the music business is the one field where reaching for the brass ring means dumbing down your work, not trying as hard -- at least in the writing process -- and doing your level best to be just like everyone else. It's not total shit; there's still some good stuff here, especially the powerful "Radioactivated," and even the clones have splashes of what made this band something worth hearing in the first place. Unfortunately for the fans, however, they just aren't as many shades apart as they used to be.

© 2001 - DJ Johnson