Review Summary: Billy Talent III aim for the mainstream, and run themselves off the road in the process.
By now, it’s a pretty universal truth that anytime a well-respected band in the “underground” tries to go in a mainstream direction, they inevitably *** it up. Generally, the basic sound of these bands isn’t conducive to mainstream appetites, and when elements of pop are added, it comes of as forced and unnatural. Those fans who loved you from the beginning will feel betrayed, and the mainstream will just ignore you. For Billy Talent, the case is a bit trickier, because to a certain extent, they already have mainstream success… sort of. In their native Canada, they are one of the most popular bands around, selling out stadiums and get bucket loads of radio play. Which is why it’s so baffling that the band have repeatedly stated that they made their third album as Billy Talent (guess the title) to appeal to an “American audience”. As you can imagine, the results aren’t nearly up to the standard set by Billy Talent by their first two albums.
So, what does Billy Talent think American audiences want from their music? Apparently, slow tempos, keyboards, and boring songs. Yeah, that right, I said it: Billy Talent III is f-ing
boring. The band who first gained notoriety for their ferocious live shows and ridiculous energy are content to churn a handful of mid-tempo rock songs and call it a day. Opening track “Devil On My Shoulder” is a competent, if bland, rock song with a walking tempo. Lead single “Rusted From The Rain” is a competent, if bland rock song with a walking tempo. By track 3, you may begin to notice a pattern emerging.
To be fair, the band still manages to be fairly catchy, even when playing it safe. “Tears Into Wine” fares the best of the bunch, thanks to its kickass chorus and slightly more energetic nature. Unfortunately, it’s one of only two songs on the album that seem to have a pulse at all. The other, “Turn Your Back”, is the closest we get to old Billy Talent on this record, and even it’s initially underwhelming. Despite this, it’s a decent grower, and serves its purpose of breaking up the album’s monotony.
Individually, each of the band members performs adequately. Bassist Jonathan Gallant and drummer Aaron Solowoniuk serve as a fully functional rhythm section, and while rarely remarkable, they never hamper the mood of the song. The bulk of the focus is still on the riffs of guitarist Ian D’sa, though even he finds himself sleepwalking throughout the album. In general, his riffs lack the creative spark that defined the band’s earlier records (the riff from “Devil On Your Shoulder” is basically a rehash of “Living In The Shadows”), and while he sprinkles plenty of solos throughout the album, they rarely feel inspired or powerful. On all levels, it feels like the band is just going through the motions.
Let’s all be honest with ourselves: Billy Talent are never going to find widespread mainstream success in America. Hell, it’s a miracle they found success here in Canada. Vocalist Ben Kowalewicz’s polarizing voice is never going to draw in the mass market, and an album as bland and forgettable as this isn’t going to win over many new converts. The sad thing is, the members of Billy Talent still have so much potential in them. Billy Talent III feels like the kind of album a band releases late in its career, long after their prime, cranking out safe songs to keep their dwindling fan base from dissipating entirely. It’s not a bad album; it’s just unremarkable. And considering what Billy Talent represents at this point to many, that’s about the greatest insult I could give.
