Categories : Music Reviews, Rock + Pop.
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Rating: 2/5 Released: 2005 Reviewer: Trent McMartin |
Ho Hum. The dullness that is Matthew Thomas’ debut album, 2005’s Overrated Life, can only be rightfully described as the musical equivalent to watching grass grow or paint dry. Harsh words indeed, but nothing, not one single portion of Overrated Life is memorable.
Remember these names: Better Than Ezra, Tonic, The Calling, Hootie and the Blowfish, Matchbox 20, Shawn Mullins, Gin Blossoms, Candlebox, Semisonic, Third Eye Blind, The Verve Pipe, Creed, and Marcy’s Playground. If some of these acts sound unfamiliar, it’s understandable. Many fell into obscurity after one hit. The main reason, of course, was that many of these bands lacked any degree of originality and freshness. And it’s this attribute that inflicts Overrated Life, to the point that all the album’s tracks are highly undistinguishable from one another.
The opener ‘Life Without You,’ cops the riff from Shawn Mullin’s ‘Lullaby’ and the chorus would not be out of place on any 3 Doors Down record. The rest of the record is standard fare, easy to sing along to yet very forgettable.
Thomas’ Overrated Life is not a terrible album. To fans of the genre (straight forward acoustic rock), it will sound great playing on the iPod or in a car stereo. But for those wanting something challenging, vibrant and raw, stay away. Check out the Arctic Monkey’s debut or Ben Harper’s Both Sides of the Gun instead.
Strong cuts: ‘When Forever Changed,’ which slightly is reminiscent of Faith no More, Temple of the Dog and early Pearl Jam.
