Unwritten Law,
Unwritten LawBands seem to be flying left, right and centre out of California these days. Most seem to be pretty standard fare, and it takes something pretty damn good to jump out and get noticed from a scene that is becoming saturated with cheap and nasty imitations.
Unwritten Law are basically a band that have never really taken advantage of their obvious talents. Until now. Whilst their previous offerings showed little in the way of imagination and variety, their self-titled opus is superb, showing the depth of songwriting and musicianship that had been missing before.
Maybe best known as mates of Blink 182, UL's Bad Religion tinged sound is instantly likeable. Opener 'Harmonic' is a pretty good start to the album, but it's the likes of 'Teenage Suicide' which really do show the band's strengths.
Lyrically, UL are very dark. This is by no means a pop album. "I'm running out of time, my mother says I'm fine, my teenage suicide," is just one example of their darkness. But the themes the band deal with are in no way generic or cliched, and are dealt with thoughtfully and cleverly. 'Lonesome' and 'Genocide' are also hardly the happiest songs you'll hear all year.
They are not groundbreaking by any means, but it's variety that sets UL apart from the rest. 'Cailin' is a slow makes-you-wanna-puke love song that has radio tattooed all over it. 'Coffin Text' and 'Close Your Eyes' are fast and spritely, and 'Before I Go' is all sentimental and gooey, without making you want to hammer your fist through the speakers.
UL have created more than just a bunch of songs stuck on CD. This has a real feel of being an album, a collection of tunes that mould together to give a true sense of what the band are trying to portray. There is something for everyone on this album, and while that may not be to everyone's taste, it's still pretty hard to dislike Unwritten Law.
Paul Savage
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