The Living End cemented their place in Australian rock history in the mid 90’s, with a brilliant debut album and a live show that was second to none. Now, 10 years since the release of their self-titled debut, the boys-no-more are back with new album White Noise, and while most of the tracks are vintage Living End, they also take a few chances as well. In other words, they’re back, and as good as ever.
Opening track and first single How Do We Know? showcases this band at their best. The wild riff which forms the core of the song is a stunner, and works with the drum beat to form an almost bluegrass sound, which then gives away during the chorus to fist-pumping epic rock. Raise The Alarm is standard Living End, which is to say, frontman Chris Cheney rips out another excellent riff during the bridge, and there’s some fist pumping to be done in the chorus.
White Noise, the second single from the album is softer and poppier, and you can definitely see the boys playing it to a field full of moshing, singing fans (say, at this year’s Splendour In The Grass, which The Living End will headline). Moment In The Sun lifts the intensity and tempo back up to 11, at least until the lyrics kick in, when Cheney’s voice takes front and centre.
The band convened to begin writing this album in mid-2007, but had to take some more time off after finding themselves struggling to write. None of that struggle is evident here; if anything (like fellow Australian band Something For Kate), the extra time off has given a harder, darker edge to these songs, as if the thing they’re most angry about is the fact that it took them so long to get angry in the first place.
Make The Call And Waiting For The Silence both rock hard, while Loaded Gun starts quieter, but takes off, and features some excellent drum work from Andy Strachan, punching out staccato beats with ease. As usual, Scott Owen ’s stand-up bass work is excellent throughout the album, although it would be nice to hear it a little higher in the mix – maybe even a few bass solos to steal some of Cheney’s thunder.
It’s in parts of the wind-down that the Living End stretch their creative muscles. Kid is pure pop, complete with some harpsichord in the background, although Cheney’s vocals are hardly gentle, and mark this as still a Living End song. And the reggae-ish Sum Of Us provides a relaxed closer. But in between those, 21st Century and Hey Hey Disbeliever tweak the Living End sound just enough to attract attention, with the former a cautionary tale about the future, and the latter delivering rapid-fire lyrics.
Chris Cheney’s lyrics aren’t quite classics – it’s hard not to cringe when he declares “Global warming just ain’t cool/there’s too much chlorine in the gene pool”. But his guitar work more than makes up for it. It’s the lynchpin that holds the songs together, and he is able to rip out fast, complex riffs with ease, which, as anyone who has seen one of their excellent live shows can attest, he backs up when on stagem usually adding even more notes and riffs to the songs.
Listening to How Do We Know?, it would be easy to assume the Living End have gone in a whole new direction, but that’s not quite the case. Instead, some of the songs on White Noise follow the standard Living End (and there’s nothing wrong with that), while some show a little broadening of horizons. So, while they may not be evolving at a rate of knots, they know that fans are looking for short sharp punchy punkabilly songs with great riffs, and memorable choruses, and they deliver that with their usual passion and intensity. White Noise is a great album, and should see The Living End once again consolidate their ever-growing fan base.
White Noise is out Saturday July 19 through Dew Process/Universal Music.
Don’t miss The Living End playing this year’s Splendour In The Grass festival – stay tuned to FasterLouder for news, reviews, photos and special backstage previews from one of Australia’s biggest festivals.
azfish
said on the 16th Jul, 2008