I’ve never really liked No Use For A Name that much. I always thought they were ok, just a bog-standard, run-of-the-mill Fat Wreck band. Their last offering, ‘More Betterness’ just compounded my feelings, a cd that was excellent in places but simply sucked in others. So you can probably guess that I wasn’t overly excited when ‘Hard Rock Bottom’ landed on my doormat. However, after listening to it extensively I’ve surprised myself. Because no matter which way you look at it, this is one brilliant album.
Fifteen years on from when No Use started out, this will probably go down as one of their better, if not best, albums. ‘Hard Rock Bottom’ takes a long, hard look at what wasn’t that great on ‘More Betterness’ and improves on it. The melodies are still there but this has an overall feeling of being a better record. The big riffs are still here as are the singalong choruses. Ryan Greene is still at the helm too – but whatever it is that Tony, Rory, Matt and Dave did during their sabbatical, it worked.
The curveball opening of ‘Feels Like Home’, a quiet number with whispery vocals, is great and quickly falls straight into ‘International You Day’, a storming track which is all trademark No Use riffage and tubthumping drums. ‘Pre-Medicated Murder’ opens with violins before all hell breaks loose. But there’s more sincerity and honesty in Tony Sly‘s vocals than there was on the last album and although the production is smooth, it’s not overdone. On ‘Hard Rock Bottom’ it’s all about the songs and not the technology.
‘Dumb Reminders’ is unsurprisingly the album’s first single – it’s trademark No Use For A Name – with a quiet/loud verse leading into an anthemic chorus, and ditto ‘Any Number Can Play,’ another air drummers delight. The intro to ‘Friends Of The Enemy’ has a passing nod to Blink 182‘s ‘Man Overboard‘, but fear not as it only lasts 20-odd seconds. Again this is a song of real quality and lyrically shows a sensitive side. ‘Angela’ is another fantastic effort, even if the lyrics are a little obvious. Still, seven tracks in, and no letdowns yet.
‘Let Me Down’ previously featured on the last Fat Wreck sampler and is an album highlight. As ’emo’ as the band have ever been (and I mean that in the nicest possible sense…) it’s a song that tugs away at the heartstrings without ever losing any of that NUFAN identity. However, this excellent album is let down by the decision to cover the Sinead O’Connor track ‘This Is A Rebel Song’, featuring Karina Denike on vocals. It sounds like a NUFAN song just with female vocals, and although it’s ok it just seems out of place, spoiling the flow of the rest of the album. Oh well…
‘Solitaire’ is thoughtful and considered, whilst ‘Undefeated’ features superb vocals and a classic NUFAN riff. Buzzing feedback kicks off the dark and dirty ‘Insecurity Alert’, a track written with September 11 firmly in mind. Blasting everyone in their gaze, this is, for me, the best song here. “You can’t spell believe without lie,” Tony yells, mantra-like with an air-raid siren blaring in the background, and for three minutes and nine seconds only one thing has your entire attention. This is where ‘Hard Rock Bottom’ should have stopped. Unfortunately ‘Nailed Shut’ ends proceedings and although it’s not a bad track, it doesn’t have the same clout as ‘Insecurity Alert’.
Whereas ‘More Betterness’ played it safe, ‘Hard Rock Bottom’ goes back to basics. The band have paid attention to what was wrong with their last record and have strengthened things. They’ve been major players in the skate punk scene for a number of years and it’s about time they took things to the next level. This record could be the one that does it.
Paul