finally something pertinent!

I am finally ready to make my final assessment of the album Chemistry of Common Life by Fucked Up ... here goes.

Though Chemistry of Common Life came out many months ago it has taken until just recently for me to be able to find the patience to grasp the apirations asserted on this album. Indie rock review sites (all of them) hailed this album as a great return for punk rock, some even describing it as "hardcore punk".

Upon my first review the only thing I found hard was listening to the lead singer's (Pink Eyes - yes, that is really what he goes by) voice. I didn't find the album to be anything as it was being lauded for.

Facts that helped change my opinion: 1 - I found out they were canadian. Once upon a time I was a hardcore opponent of all canadian music. Quoting "Rush is the only good thing musically to come from Canada". This prejudice has since evaporated and many of my favorite bands hail from the great north. However, there is always going to be slight hesitation when I hear a canadian musician, its like their faces ... there is intrinsically something a little bit off. woah.

2 - I out loud said "the singer's voice reminds me of the first time i listened to the mighty might bosstones". Which alluded to the fact that my two best friends who loved the bosstones would play dicky barrett's howling voice and party while i sat there basically preteneding that I didn't want to rip my own ears off. Obviously that changed, and saying that out loud now ... was the catalyst to give this album another chance.

That said I can now offer these insights. Chemistry is a damn good album. I'm still not entirely sure why its being so pumped up. I do NOT think it is hardcore punk. Its just like this weird rock / punk fusion with some super growly vocals which ... if you into that sort of thing then this will be right up your alley. The album has currently made its way into my regular rotation, and I would recommend you at least give it a shot. It plays fast. There are no slow downs or hang ups, or tangents into the musical punk abyss. I suppose maybe if I had any of their previous work I could compare and understand what this album does that their other ones did not. However I think it best to judge the work based on what it is, not where it came from. I honestly can't tell you that its going to blow your mind, but if you give it a shot I don't think you'll be disappointed.

I haven't yet devised any sort of proper ratting system so at the moment I'm going to stick to an "out of 5". That said I give it a: 3.5 / 5 ... honestly i'm not even sure what that means besides I like it.