Who doesn’t love a super group? We certainly do. So we decided to look at No Devotion featuring Geoff Rickley of Thursday, United Nations and the remaining members of Lostprophets, who just came off one of the craziest and most harrowing stories in recent music history.
Lauren Stern: I usually trust Geoff Rickley’s judgement when it comes to new projects, but this No Devotion collaboration is a complete dud. With the Lostprophets involved, I expected this to be quite poppy, but I also thought the hardcore elements Rickley is so famous for would be incorporated too. I’m not sure why it wasn’t but because there wasn’t that healthy mix of the three bands, this track felt more like a jam session than a hit single.
I can go on about how disappointed I am, but instead I’ll just say this: there’s nothing intriguing or deep about “Stay.” Unless you like hearing the words “There ain’t nothing I can do to make you stay” sung ad nauseum on top of cliche pop rock melodies, I’d say it’s best to pass on this one. Verdict: One and Done
Bill Bodkin: While this is nowhere near as heavy as I thought it would be considering who’s in the band, I actually really, really dig “Stay” by No Devotion. Who knew Geoff Rickley had a really great voice for pop music? And who knew Lostprophets could really put together something that’s more synth-based. I think this has a big chance to be a hit single if given the proper radio play. This is a super-catchy song that I’m all about. Verdict: Add to Playlist.
Lisa Pikaard: I am in love with “Stay.” The rhythm is phenomenal. At first I was a little turned off by the overpowering music. I thought the vocal level was a little low but in the end, the song built beautifully. The emotion is engaging and the power of the song is just commanding. The breakdown at 3:00 is my favorite part. This is a song that requires a few listens because of how good it is. I was never a Lostprophets or Thursday fan but No Devotion, I will certainly be listening to them. Verdict- Add to the rotation. Now.
Al Mannarino: Like the rest of the world, I was disgusted with what happened with the former the Lostprophets singer, Ian Watkins, and I knew that the band would never bounce back after that. Lucky enough the rest of the band is now trying to distance themselves from what happened and have formed a new group with the former lead singer of Thursday, Geoff Rickley. As someone who grew up listening to both Thursday and Lostprophets, I can’t be anymore happier with the direction of No Devotion. The combination of Rickley’s voice with Lostprophets signature sound makes their first single, “Stay,” something worth listening to. At times they like a Thirty Seconds to Mars cover band, but that’s not a bad thing. I would absolutely give “Stay” a listen, if not just to hear the combination of these two early 2000s bands. Verdict – Add to Playlist
Kelly Spoer: What is this? This sounds like early Smashing Pumpkins singing “Maps” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Tell me that chorus doesn’t sound like “Wait, they don’t love you like I love you.” This song is boring. Nothing new to see here kids, just some people re-hashing something that was done ten to twenty years earlier. There is nothing worse than when a band goes over old territory without seeing things in a new light. There is no WOW factor, just a man who either just got dumped, or just dumped someone else. And this song is just the whine whine whine, in a very boring plotting kind of way. The chorus seems like it wants to go somewhere, but it just falls flat. “Stay” does exactly that, stays in one place. And you should run far, far away from that place. Verdict: One and Done
Nick Porcaro: I grew up reared on Thursday and Lostprophets, so imagine my disappointment when Thursday went on indefinite hiatus in 2011 only to break up permanently in 2013—and my disgust when former ‘prophets frontman Ian Watkins was outed as a pedophile in 2012. While I’m glad Geoff Rickly is helping the rest of Lostprophets rebuild their careers, I can’t say I’m impressed by what No Devotion has to offer so far. “Stay” is a run of the mill ’80s pop-rock throwback with little apart from Rickly’s unmistakable voice to distinguish this track. Even the vocal melody resembles “Maps” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I would never have guessed the boys from Lostprophets to be behind such boring riffs and limp grooves. Verdict: One and done.
Final Verdict: The new single from No Devotion has us divided! That leaves the decision up to you. Are you going to add “Stay” to your playlist? Let us know!
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