Album Reviews
Movie Reviews
Concert Reviews

Top 10
Resources
Time Wasters
Contact Us

Say No More isn't a bad album, but it's not particularly good either.  The needle points to "you know, it's um, I guess okay."  That's pretty much the entire review right there, but I'll expand on that brief summary.

Fans of Switchfoot, Jimmy Eat World, and other bands of that ilk very well may find a lot to like on House of Heroes.  The band cites Weezer and Sunny Day Real Estate as two of their major influences, and they spend the majority of the album recreating their favorite moments from those bands.  The press biography for _Say No More_ isn't exactly fair to the boys mind you:  "When referencing _Say No More_, think modern rock.  Foo-fighters, Jimmy Eat World, Queens of the Stone Age.  Then add a little classic rock to the substance.  Queen, Rush, the Police."    Talk about setting people up for disappointment (except the Jimmy Eat World fans).   Hey, I recognize that bands need to sell themselves, but their press writer is trying way too hard.   Actually, that's a good way to describe the album overall:  it tries too hard.   House of Heroes' attempts to be epic, real and deep result in the band over-reaching themselves.  The band slogs through twelve fairly dull tracks, everything serviceable and certainly not "bad," just... dull.  The intense "Serial Sleepers" provides the sole highlight.   Lacking the reckless energy of the Foo Fighters, attitude of QOTSA, or any particular elements  to set it apart from any number of alternative riff rock albums, _Say No More_ is merely "there."  Maybe next record, guys.

Ryan Ro