We're In Like Sin,
Just Surrender
I chastised Just Surrender last time round for their lack of variety. It seems they've taken heed of my advice, for this time round JS have a bit of an identity crisis. There are so many contemporary influences on this record - ranging from Cartel through to Armor For Sleep to Taking Back Sunday - that you never quite get that Just Surrender feel. Which sound really is theirs? Who knows!
So I'll start this review with the usual 'this isn't a bad CD, but...' comment that I find myself resorting to all too often. The 'if you like XXXX pop-punk band you'll like this' comment can also be used too. And while I over-run this review with lazy journalistic cliches, if you press the skip button through this CD you'll find plenty of lazy genre cliches too. There are soaring melodies and vocals, crashing of drums and buzzing guitar riffs, but it's all in a sense of how we've heard it all before. Not in a bad way, more an uninspiring one. 'Body Language and Bad Habits' is a great start, ditto 'New Declaration'.
But then these are inspersed with dodgy, obvious songs that don't really go anywhere. Check out 'Payback' as a tune that's so middle of the road it's that annoying driver hogging the central lane on the motorway for miles on end. When Just Surrender are good, they're good. But when they're bad, they're painfully average. And when there are better bands doing similar things you have to wonder why bands like this bother. Album number three needs more cohesion; Just Surrender need to find their sound and find their niche. And fast.
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