Accessible Rock!
It has been well documented that Hundred Reasons have been through a tough time of late. Releasing an album which didn't seem to match the promise of their early work, splitting from their label, moving out of the UK rock spotlight and having to put up with media speculation that they weren't even remaining together to see this third LP find it's way into record stores.
With the benefit of hindsight maybe their second record was going down the commercially acceptable and accessible route too much, and now with the freedom of a label they seem happy with, and a back to basics approach to writing and recording their music, this new record is certainly one which they are more happy with, but if it fails to capture the imagination then the fourth will be a very interesting exercise. In short I don't think it is unreasonable to suggest that there is a lot riding on this album.
The album's opening matches the occasion of the release, an eerie and dark tone develops in power, the anticipation in the air draws you in before they jump you with a typically crashing guitar rift, 'Broken Hands' then turns into the sort of catchy rock track you might expect from such a band. It works well as an album opener and will do likewise when they play live.
The lead single is next, 'Kill Your Own' will do a job on rock radio but isn't the most exciting song you've ever heard in your life, and to be honest as a statement that does sum up this record as a whole.
I would have chosen 'Destroy' to be the first single as it has a better tune, one which genuinely does get stuck in your head which is always an advantage for the singles market. It is a little softer and therefore more likely to have mass appeal, however given that I think the band are trying to move back towards a more heavy sound the worry with releasing 'Destroy' or 'The Chance' which is better still and even more melodic, is that the accusation of same old same old could have been pointed in their direction. 'The Chance' is a fine track though and it would be careless not to release it at some stage.
Recently Paul Townsend told Room Thirteen that this is a "more edgy and rocky" record than their previous two, but half way through 'The Perfect Gift' you'd be forgiven for thinking that this isn't the case as it's more of the same from the previous two tracks, all nice enough but no real edge at all. 'Live Fast, Die Ugly', as the name suggests, is faster, harder and where the more edgy stuff might be found.
The second half of the album has less of the pop rock stuff and the tracks don't really live that long in the memory. Album closer 'Breathe Again' does stick out as the most interesting of the bunch as it mixes softer verses with some harder rock guitar rifts and builds to a heavier conclusion which does round off the record well.
If you like Hundred Reasons then you should take a listen, as it is interesting to hear how the band has developed through the difficult times they've had. Although they'd like us to think it's an edgy record it's not really, well in the same way as standing near the edge of a cliff rather than the rim might be, the word safe does spring to mind. There are some heavier tracks which should please fans of their early work and there is some welcome variety on this record which may have been lacking from their second, but Hundred Reasons are a band who write a mixture of melodic and popular rock tracks and I can't see that changing: I'm not surprised by what I've heard.
Although there are some strong songs on here and the album does improve after a few listens, overall it's an album which hasn't moved me either way, I don't love it, I don't hate it.