14 Shades Of Grey

Editorial Review

It wasn’t too hard to figure out why Staind had such success with their 'Break The Cycle' last album. An album that made itself quite at home atop the US Billboard charts and shifted upward of 8 million copies. A huge sound, predictably rebellious, distinctively American and perfectly placed in the 'modern rock' category. It didn't do them any harm to have been spotted and encouraged by Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit fame either. Few bands have the quality to transfix both sides of the Atlantic, but with this fourth album, the New England group is far more likely to impress old England ?and all other points east of the big pond too.

Not just that rock (or rawk in this case) is supremely on top at the moment, or there is more mainstream access to it, but more that there is simply more interest in this genre again. But what is this album all about? The album title sums it up. Gloom and doom 14 times over. Oh it’s black and white rock for sure, but the preponderance of shadow, with nary a beam of sunshine peeping through, means that the smile-rating quotient is around zero. A myriad shades of murk, but although all tracks have a commonality of sound, they are far from identical.

"Price To Pay" is a huge power start, and "How About You" continues that format well, adding a fine underlying melody. "So Far Away" gets no prizes for an overused title, but it’s got some storming guitars following a ballad start and a rockier midriff. "Yesterday" (hum, never heard that title before) is back to the full on wall-of-sound stylee, around more complex drums. "Fray" is equally interesting, with a meandering bass and nagging (and obviously loud) chorus. The nearest to a love song is "Zoe Jane", but as it is a Staind smoochie, is of course tattooed and pierced.

As trademark tracks go, "Falling Down" and "Tonight" fit the bill well, though "Blown Away" shows a more contrasting, experimental feel. The whole album is solid as a rock, brim full of twangy guitars and power chords, and although an ultimately anti-uplifting CD ("Reality" being extremely gloom-struck), it sums up what Staind are all about. Please note though that this album is very explicit, which if nothing else gives a real-life honesty to it all. The final "Intro" track particularly f-expletive filled. A bitter thank-you from the band to all who have misjudged them before. Nice, but full marks for putting "Intro" at the end of the set. Now that’s what I call imagination.

While Linkin Park took the rappier branch from the rock tree, and Audioslave stayed closer to their roots, Staind fill a niche by mixing traditional searing guitar stuff with power ballads to give an inherent honesty to their appeal. It’s their own sonic soundprint, albeit a rather generic one. The moaning vocals of Aaron Lewis can be accused of being too same-ey (yes, true of many a band) exhibiting both great ?and grate ?potential. But with flashes of pathos that the Cure did so well, combined with a latent energy that is Puddle Of Mudd or System Of A Down, Staind are set to continue their residency in Billboard-land whilst poised to dominate the rest of music-land too. But for goodness sake chaps, cheer up a bit would you?

Neil Chase
Music Editor

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Additional Info

• Recording: STEREO
• Format: Single Case

Tracklisting