Review Summary: CKY continues its gratifying journey in a logical step after "Infiltrate Destroy Rebuild"
cky is during “An Answer can be Found“:
Chad “Cig” Ginsburg - Guitar/Bass + Backup Vocals
Deron Miller - Guitar + Vocals
Jess Margera - Drums
Produced & Mixed by Chad Ginsburg
Original Release Date: June 28, 2005
Label as produced: Island
Camp Kill Yourself
Nah, CKY isn’t my favorite band but I like them. Don’t hold me to that bias as I did to this band when I was astonished that they were signed to Island Records. For over 8 years CKY has been a rock band that stayed true to its stadium rock anthems but not being as cliché as
they should be. I don’t classify bands as “Nu-Metal” because I don’t believe in such of a genre, but to me CKY is just straight forward rock. CKY has a trademark sound in my mind that not many bands have. They use simple hard hitting riffs, drowned with unique effects and tone. I’m sure most of the music that CKY creates, well lets just say if they used that standard Marshall distortion, they probably wouldn’t be half as entertaining. CKY is a band that has the “we can’t keep a bass player” problem. I liked Vern and aren’t really too sure on why he didn’t continue with the band but his funny faces and weird posture always made me chuckle a little. It kind of amazes me that the music in “an Answer can be found” has an adequate bass section recorded by Deron and Chad. Apparently they wrote all of the strings section in music and recorded all parts. Now saying this is sad but true, that the bass presence in “an Answer can be found” is more “there” then in a lot of bands who have a regular bass player. I wouldn’t say CKY drives themselves off of bass but more guitar oriented riffs but the bass isn’t totally invisible/deaf. The music on a whole point feels up to date and growing. The vocals seem much more concrete still packing catchy melodies but I found that the lyrics were even more impressive then the previous albums. Chad Ginsburg seems like a loveable and funny dude.
He seems to mold the band together because I know he used to play bass at live shows but he usually sports his nice little Ibanez CKY guitar custom done. The fact that he produced and mixed all tracks on this album like previous ones shows that this guy has talent and knows what he’s on about. CKY though has been so set on breaking down the mainstream radio and as it succeeds in being a unique band in a clichéd genre, they keep a lot of there constructions in the form of a mainstream. You aren’t going to be overpowered by exceedingly hard guitar riffs, or weird vocals, or even the message of the album. The song formats stay in the same field not really reaching out in beyond. Some of these things can make CKY look very mediocre but in my opinion what they do good, is “what they do great”, and if you can hold something like that down then you are a good band. A 3rd album is usually a crucial point in a band’s career and will it hold up is the question…
Song Layout
1) suddenly tragic - The album opens up with a nice drum introduction to this song. It automatically gets the listener ears moving. That trademark sound that I know CKY for is unbelievably present in this song. Those guitars that are drowned with fuzz and distortions whirl around and keep a steady pace. The song is a great album opener simply because it keeps everything flowing with a nice pre-chorus and a catchy chorus. If this song was off of “IDR” then it would feel really out of place since the song seems so much more fine tuned then the songs of that album. I really enjoyed the guitar solo in this song, even though I could of done without of it. Either way the song is a strong opener. 9/10
2) the way you lived - This is one of my favorite songs off of the album because it reminds me of the “IDR” album. The strong fuzz guitar introduction can simply compete with a lot of the previously released material. The use of guitar effects and the little fills are very substantial to this song. The vocals stay in a melodic setting not really getting too throaty. The drums shine in parts of this song and accompanies the music nicely but that intro riff that comes in at verses is really the strong point. The use of Wah was even a nice touch for the fills and variations. Another guitar solo doesn’t feel as forced as the previous one but instead is short, and to the point. As I said before, it’s just another great touch up to a good song. 10/10
3) dressed in decay - The vocals smack you as soon as the song begins not wasting one second. The song continues at a faster pace then the previous one and really speeds on right through. That distinct guitar tone is more then present which really makes the song feel like “cky”. I liked the vocals on this song the best out of any of the previous songs because they featured a different approach and some range. The backing harmony in the chorus is a great production plus. The song continues on the stretch of good songs and doesn’t get skipped. 9/10
4) familiar Realm - This is the first single off of “an Answer can be found”. Once again I can be reminded of “IDR” when I listen to this song and really like the pace it leads. It’s a slower heavier hitting rhythm but it isn’t going to bore you to tears. The vocals are contagious, and the lyrics are extremely catchy to even find yourself to sing along. If you can’t sing then you’ll at least tap your foot to the beat or hum the rhythm. The solo this time felt a little out of place in my opinion. For the first time it felt forced but it is creative and doesn’t drag on. The outro vocals were solid with a great hook. Like a lot of songs that lose its steam after a guitar solo, this song remained fresh. Thank god… 9/10
5) all power to slaves - I think that a lot of the first 4 songs momentum started to die down in this one. The song is different in a lot of categories taking on a “bouncy” feel. The guitar work is right where it should be and the drums hold the background good but the song has some weird parts that didn’t rub off me well. The pre-chorus feels really forced and awkward. The lyrics are actually fairly noticeable is punch with good rhyming schemes. Another solo, and this time the solo just completely overpowers you. This is my favorite solo on this album and it still keeps short and sweet but this time I wish it could of gone longer. I also wish that the song that it accompanies was better. 7/10
6) triple manic state - The pace has becoming increasingly fast with this song. This song is another favorite with faster vocals and catchy music to accompany it. This song could definitely pass on a Jackass soundtrack since it seems like the whole story around this song revolves around the guys. The music feels more concrete then ever taking on an “Inhuman Creation Station” feel. Once again, yes “IDR” album… The chorus works well and the lyrics stay fresh… as does another guitar solo. I wouldn’t exactly call it a guitar solo as more just a fill to close the album out. It is enjoyable and when people can make solos enjoyable in this time era, more power to them… 9/10
7) behind the screams - Wow, this really came out of nowhere on a good note. This is a filler track that’s a short acoustic piece that really shows some dynamics and diversity with guitar. I was really taken by surprise with this track and I do not skip it even when it is an obvious filler. The classical finger picked guitar soothes ears in what seems to be an interlude to the album. I even kind of wish it went on longer… 8/10
8) deceit is striking gold - I don’t know but some of the lyrics in this song just fall short of the other songs. At times the lyrics just seem corny but the title of the song is great. The chorus redeems itself in the lyrics and vocals category. The CKY music trademark keeps the song fresh. The songs by track 8 are starting to mesh together a little but it’s not exactly bad enough to really complain, but it’s noticeable. 8/10
9) as the tables turn - It almost feels like this song is a continuation of “deceit is striking gold” because it comes in and wastes no time from the previous outro. This song has an industrial feeling to it. The vocals are much better and diverse than “deceit is striking gold” and the guitar breaks are pleasant. An interesting use of the title being used as chorus. The lyrics just move smoothly and don’t sound forced as in times in other songs. The guitar solo I could of done without this time, but none of these solos are really damaging to the songs. Some I just like more than others… 9/10
10) Sniped - This is probably the heaviest song off the album. The vocals are really hit and miss but for me sound obnoxious at times. It sounds like the vocals had a Halloween theme make over to them and as the song strays out being different then the other songs the vocals sometimes even turn me off. The guitar work has a lot of palm muting in the verse and some heavy chugging in the chorus. It’d probably be more break through of a song if I didn’t listen to bands like Converge and The Number Twelve Looks Like You but the song isn’t a total dumper in my mind. It was a good experimental one that doesn’t really come in with the other songs in the album. 7/10
11) don’t hold your breath - This song like other closing album songs is much softer and more melodic. It follows the same roots as “Close yet far” and here the interesting use of bass really shines. The acoustic work is a nice touch in this song and the vocals really do shine in a melodic stand point. The vocal harmonies take a different approach then the usual CKY song and that alone is respectable. People will want that hard hitting exit but this song does an adequate and different type of closure. 8/10
Not Questioned
The album clocks in overall at 54 minutes. It doesn’t have epic songs but it does have excellent songs. Song’s that aren’t going to leave my mind quickly if I stopped listening to the album on an hiatus. I really truly believe that this album is only a half a step forward from “Infiltrate Rebuild Destroy”, and the main reason for the that is because IDR was extremely good. In my mind that album is ageless in the sense I can take it out at any time and groove along with almost all of the songs flawlessly, without stop. The band may stay with simple formats that stay inside the box but it has enough unique qualities to drive itself from being a mediocre band. Also if the simple approach works well, why go on epic journeys to bore a person out. Yes, CKY doesn’t seem to do Mars Volta or Tool tunes but it’s so much better this way. It’s a logical progression from IDR and it also shows a much more mature sound. What I love is that it didn’t run away from what was working in the past but felt more tentative to go out and experiment. This in my view is fine since most of what CKY produces is at minimum good, but really catchy and great tunes. The usage of guitar solo was a very definitive touch to this album as it seems like most bands have run a guitar solo out of there formation. It’s kind of a fresh breathe of air to hear some of the fills and solos. The album doesn’t downplay anything and I don’t understand why people think this band has sold out. It’s comparable and if anything more significant of a release. Being comparable to great previous albums that is…
Pros:
+ Trademark CKY sound
+ Vocals are more concrete and lyrics are better
+ The Bass isn’t an invisible instrument
+ Guitar Solos
Cons:
- Some lyrics are still corny as hell
- Some songs can begin to start clinging and sound the same
- Where is Vern?
