(SOUNDLUST REVIEW) — “Hello, girls and boys. Today we’re going to make music. Happy music and sad music. Funny music and serious music. Music that has many of the feelings we have. So get your instrument and come along with me. Let’s put some of our feelings into music.” — Wake Up Call.
I want to play “The Remedy” over and over again, forever.
I look forward to it. I crave it. It’s disappointing, then, that Stories of Survival, Authority Zero’s bass-spanking new release, doesn’t have more “can’t get enough” tunes.
Expecting to be blown away, this release seems more of a blown opportunity.
With a history of being hard to define – with ska-punk being the most common shorthand – the band seems to have played it safe and gone for an unsound sound formula. I love this band with a passion, so it pains me to write that. But after several listens, I’m not as excited as I should be.
This truth is all the more bitter to swallow because they’ve packed so many memorable, fine moments in such a few albums (4 previous, including a live 2006 release). “Taking On The World” is my all-time favorite A.Z. original recording. I can and still do go to it regularly when I’m unsure how I want to start my listening day. It has musical elements missing from anything on SoS. Like energy. Quirkiness, too, as on on the 50s croon of “Prom Night” or the surfer music, soundtrack crazy vibe of “Chili con Crudo” that compels movement in paralyzed people.
Where previous albums delivered sets on fire, jumping electric blue arcs across the plectrum, SoS only offers occasional hot flare-ups. Here, the songs give off hintful moments of the always celebrated skills of singer Jason Devore, guitarist Zach Vogel, drummer Jim Wilcox and (yep he’s back) bassist Jeremy Wood.
The strength of “A Day to Remember” is its lyrics, and Devore’s caramel and razor blade voice that at one point seems to surround you, sweating, open-mouthed. The louder you play it the better it sounds, but ultimately the song fades into the reverb of what comes after.
“Get It Right” starts with a jingly, alive guitar that could fit anywhere in the history of music and improve it. But then it quickly slides back into a mid- to fast-paced sound – the same template as the song that preceded it. “Big Bad World” is a highlight, too. tells the tale of everyman, getting through the work day with sweat equity and it slows the pace down well — a satellite moon to The Remedy’s populated, pulsing planet.
“Crashland” brings life to Survival’s chorus. Slamming drums and punched guitars collide just behind Devore’s plea to cause a ruckus and get the fuck out. It’s another highlight – because it’s faster paced. There’s only so much slow grinding guitar a person can stand. Alice in Chains got away with it because noone ever started out pogoing and hell yeah dancing to their music. We’ve all danced to AZ in sheer joy.
Authority Zero shouldn’t feel stuck to produce what came before; yet this album shows, in the short-term, they’re happy to do exactly that.
A quicker pace liberates “Liberateducation” too. Relief. The listener feels part of the music rather than dragged along to try and find a way to participate. It’s internally-repetitive but less so than a song like lead-off track, “The New Pollution.” It switches the tempo slow and fast; a pace that works. Every story is based in conflict and contrast and action. “Movement” REALLY sounds like “Liberatededucation II.” I didn’t know it was a different song the first two times I listened through. But mix up the band’s influences, with skalicious punk and anthem-rock paramount. Both songs pack a hot, powerful one-two punch – and I can see the crowds screaming back everything they’ve got at the band.
In fact, and perhaps I should have said this sooner, but the first chance I get to hear these songs live, I will buy tickets and encourage everyone I know to come along for the ride. Because what I AM excited about is hearing what the loud, dynamic energy of their live show does to these songs. (I already missed a July 2 Flagstaff, Ariz. performance). Authority Zero restlessly tours, regularly tossing in acoustic sets that cause national buzz from people tuned in to great sound.
Without looking anywhere for confirmation Stories of Survival seems to want to give hope and control to people who have little obvious promise of bettering themselves, caught in a storm of economic forces. That encompasses a lot of people these days.
Giving hope is an ambitious goal. There’s positive and moralistic stories being told here, perhaps necessarily general though they suffer from a lack of specifics. Big themes. Abuse. The Man. Desperation. A spotlight on one person, one plight can encapsulates so much, so well. People connect to other people’s stories.
“It’s a big bad world …. That it goes on and on and on it’s the same old song you know … There’s nothing you can do, you break your back in two but you just can’t quit.”
You survive. Eventually you get better. Even with setbacks.
(3 out of 5)
The Songs:
The New Pollution
A Day to Remember
Brick In The Wave
Get It Right
Big Bad World
Break the Mold
Crashland
Liberateducation
Movement
The Remedy
No Way Home
Band’s videos of the making of Stories of Survival: YouTube
Minor changes for clarity, 10:23, July 12