As the way the music industry works evolves and changes, so does the process of releasing new music. It isn’t necessary to produce a full length album, create a big release party, tour and complete a full album cycle then start again with new music. EPs seem to be returning with a vengeance and some artists have taken to just releasing songs when they feel like it. Buckcherry has managed to continue releasing full length albums, the most recent just a year and a half ago, but it did something a little different this time around with its newest release, Fuck.
This six song EP is the epitome of who Buckcherry is. It doesn’t give a fuck and breaks all the rules except one, every track must have the word fuck in its title. Unfortunately the new music doesn’t stun me as much as I’d like it to. I would say just one third of the album is worthwhile. Half if you’re a truly dedicated Buckcherry fan.
Track one is “Somebody Fucked with Me.” The musical aspects are phenomenal; the drumming is hard hitting and stubborn and perfect for this track. The guitar riffs are outstanding as well but the vocals are lackluster. Josh Todd can yell “Fuck them all” all he wants but it does not make great music. Stop yelling at me and sing a song.
The second track is the most ridiculous and fun song on the EP. “Say Fuck it” is, essentially “I Love It” by Icona Pop with the main line flipped from “I love it” to “Say fuck it.” It is as catchy as the pop track but with a guitar line that reminds me of an AC/DC track and powerful gritty vocals that we have come to expect from Josh Todd. While I never had “I Love It” on my album rotation, “Say Fuck It” will be.
“The Motherfucker” is a bit of a let down in the sense that it is exactly what you’d expect from Buckcherry. It’s very reminiscent of everything you hear on Confessions, the band’s 2013 release. If you loved “Gluttony,” this song will be perfect for you but it’s nothing new or creative.
“I Don’t Give a Fuck,” on the other hand, is more of a groove track than what you’d expect from Buckcherry and it is awesome, maybe the best track on the EP. The song swings as opposed to being the type of song that punches you in the face. It adds a great dimension to the EP because it is something new and different and takes a sound that Buckcherry has been successful for in the past but puts a new spin on it, a sign the band continues to evolve as its career progresses. This is the track to check out.
The last two tracks, “It’s a Fucking Disaster,” and “Fist Fuck” are epic disasters. “It’s a Fucking Disaster” is just that. It starts a bit more mellow and seems like it may be the “ballad” of the album but the song builds into something completely different. I am sure I do not like the variations of tempo and speed. “Fist Fuck,” on the other hand, has just one speed and it’s way too aggressive. In one song the band tries to do too much and in the other, they don’t do enough. in one song. The album, unfortunately ends as a bit of a clusterfuck (I had to use one variation of fuck too).
Fuck certainly has its ups and downs but, sadly, it’s more downs than ups. Do yourself a favor, download “I Don’t Give a Fuck,” listen to “Say Fuck It” and call it a day.
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Lisa Pikaard is a senior writer of Pop-Break who can be read weekly as part of Pop-Break’s Singles Party. She can also frequently be found reviewing and interviewing hard rock bands but her photo is secretly (or not so secretly now) on the Backstreet Boy’s Never Gone album booklet. Country, pop, rock, the genre doesn’t matter; she loves it all. Lisa also likes to dabble in book reviews and somehow convinced Monmouth University to award her a Master’s in English for writing a thesis called ‘Harry Potter and the Rhetoric of Terrorism.’ While her dream is to interview musicians on a daily basis, she is currently working at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn (Brooklyn!), not a bad alternative. Music, football and literature are her passions. Follow her on Twitter: @nygiantsnjgrl
