Honestly, I didn't expect much from Halifax. I can not give you a give you an absolute answer as to why I felt like this, but I think it was a combination of their fame via MTV's Real World (which is never a respectable marketing ploy, no matter how you slice it) and the fact that their older stuff never impressed me beyond a courtesy listen. When I went in to review this album, I did a triple take when I hit play and they album actually offered me something relatively fresh when compared to both the current state of music and their past.
On Inevitability, Halifax offers their listeners a real rock album comparable to 80's power rock classics Guns N' Roses and modern rock bands like Letter Kills. The drums are driving and straightforward, which compliments the excessive guitar leads just right. The vocals are solid and killer; however, the excessive use of backups can get a little old by the end of the album. Basically, this album personified is that guy at your high school who wears either black or white torn jeans, plays Bill & Ted style air guitar when the teacher announces a test has been moved forward, and does excessive head-banging despite the fact he is relentlessly hung over (in case you didn't catch my drift: this kid and the album both rock too hard for their own good).
I am sorry to say that the album seems to wind down and get less exciting as it approaches the thirteenth and final song. I am not saying that the second half of the album is bad at all, but I personally enjoy the first eight or so songs much more than the latter half. At the end of the day, Halifax rocks now and this album is worth buying, unless of course you have something against rock; if that is the case, you should probably pick up a Jason Mraz CD instead or something. End of story.
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J.C. '06 |
