“Hollywood or Bust!”
“New Day Rising” opens the album and starts with a techno-rock sound that leads into a bombastic base line; the soaring sounds and screaming lyrics put you in mind of The Lostprophets. This sound is again the main theme of “Pillars of Autumn” and also “25/17”, although with these come a greater feeling of enjoyment.
“Fall to Pieces” is a more “commercial" sound, with a faster beat, driven by great guitars. This sound seems to disappear part way through but resurfaces harder and meaner. And in “Praying to Fiction” B-Bomber bass and rhythms are the hallmark here, as well as contrasting guitars, all held together by excellent drumming. “Dry Ink” on the other hand, provides us with an oasis of relative calm. The soaring guitars and vocals are given a chance to shine through in this number. This has that “wave your lighter” sound for any live gig, and will be a real crowd pleaser.
Although the start of “You To Myself” sounds like someone trying to rebuild an instrument whilst it’s still being played, it, along with “Smiling Daisies, Crashing Skies” brings you back toward that harder edged sound that began the album.
Okay, so you’ve just had a whack on the jaw and while you're still reeling, the same person is telling you they love you - “Angel Town Part II”. This one will stick in your head: it’s got just the right combination - unlike “Truth” which doesn’t seem to have a definite direction, and as a result just doesn’t do anything. We then move on to “Beginning of the Middle” - excellent overdubbed axe-work opens this number and doesn’t disappoint as it progresses. Any gig this is performed at will have the crowd trying to out sing the band.