Rock
Buckcherry stormed out of the gate with their 1999 self-titled debut with hits like “Lit Up” and “For The Movies”. The band proved they were not one hit wonders by topping this success with “15” (see our review here). With “All Night Long”, their fifth album, the band demonstrates once again that their formula for good old fashioned party rock still works.
The band has several things going for them that makes things work every time. Josh Todd is arguably one of the best contemporary rock vocalists around, and it is pretty amazing that his raspy voice has held up over a decade. Second, the band has an explosive chemistry that has only improved with age. But what helps to maintain their longevity is the knack to come up with memorable hooks in their songs. I wish they would do this in all of their songs, but you can always find a few gems on any Buckcherry record.
“All Night Long” is yet another decent record by Buckcherry – not stellar, but no slouch either. Fans know what this band delivers by now and the boys do not disappoint. Things that could have been better: the lyrics are probably the most banal the band has done and some of the tunes sound like clones of ones we’ve heard before. Where is the creativity and originality? They even ripped off the CD cover from Candlebox!
On the plus side, the band is expanding their scope a bit by including songs about topics beyond drinking, drugs, and one night stands (check out “Our World”).
The highlights include the anthem “Never Say Never”, “Recovery”, and “Our World”. The title track is a respectable Buckcherry staple, as is the power ballad “These Things”. “I Want You” is the other ballad – it is darker, haunting, and doesn’t jive with the lyrics. The rest of the songs are OK, but I think only hard core fans will appreciate them the most.
iPOD-worthy: 1, 3, 5, 6, 9
Buckcherry on MySpace. Official site.
Check out the video for “All Night Long”
