You know that dude in high school with endless tales of conquest but no proof? The poseur who boasted of the fine ladies he romanced on his trip to Niagara Falls but was never actually spotted locally with a hottie? That’s Hinder.
Oh, I don’t doubt they party with superhot groupies. The X-rated version of the cover of the Oklahoma City boys’ new“Take It to the Limit” shows the quintet posing in front of a bevy of topless bleach-blond bunnies; the photos inside insinuate there’s been lots of steamy action going on. Maybe so. It’s the band’s claims of rocking that are incredulous.
“Take It to the Limit,” the follow-up to 2005’s multi-platinum surprise smash “Extreme Behavior,” will be sold with your choice of two covers, clean and dirty, when it goes on sale tomorrow. But the music inside is the same: limp.
These guys love to talk about and tour with Motley Crue and Aerosmith, but two albums into their career, they’ve yet to write a single riff that sober, Republican-loving Joe Perry couldn’t top at age 58.
The album begins with Hinder’s new single, “Use Me,” which steals AC/DC’s signature guitar sound before lapsing into some very average, very typical post-grunge rock. The cautionary tale “Loaded and Alone” espouses the ills of fame and boozing, which is odd considering that half the album and all the X-rated art is about how totally awesome fame and boozing are.
“Last Kiss Goodbye” resembles midtempo Nickelback. “Up All Night,” after beginning with a Slaughter-riffic lick and cheer, turns into Buckcherry. “Without You” is Richard Marx done by Creed.
The highlights: Motley Crue’s Mick Mars’ guest spot on the title cut features the record’s one solid guitar solo. The lowlights: everything else including three (!) more ballads.
It’s one thing to tinker with an ’80s rock form such as the Darkness or locals Bang Camaro, but to earnestly aspire to Warrant-level song craft and fail is sad.
Download: “Take It to the Limit.”
