If you’re going to play “dumb” rock or “cock” rock, you need to sound completely unhinged and dangerous. To sound bored just ruins it. Bands like the Stooges or AC/DC were great because yeah, they were incredibly simplistic and moronic but it was genuine insanity. I don’t doubt that the Stooges wanted to search and destroy or that AC/DC wanted to rock you all night long. The problem with Brooklyn’s The Volunteers [Myspace] and their latest release is that they sound completely bored. Singing ridiculous shit when you’re bat-shit insane works. Singing ridiculous shit with a sigh and a guitarist who is checking his watch every other song with a drummer who’s seems to be plotting his escape back to his day job just ends up embarrassing. This album is completely devoid of passion.
Maybe these songs translate better live but on record they just sound bored. They hit all the notes and nail the solos but it’s just lacking. Everything from the faux cheesy 1950’s spoken interlude during “Recyclin’ Bin” to almost every single lyric just feels put on, disingenuous, and a failed attempt at irony. It’s bad and I feel bad trashing this album but I almost feel like I’m the victim of a joke put upon me by The Volunteers.
Did I mention the lyrics really suck? They’re horrible. They don’t even work on a Stooge-ian level. Here are the three worst offenders:
“When I die, if you want, you can fuck my ghost, it would be nice to know that I could still get laid”
“Even God likes bitches and booze, yeah”
“I wanna be a cave man, I want to start all over again, I wanna be a cave man, I want to go back to the beginning, human humans, I am afraid of humans”
To play beer-swilling, balls-out, rock and motherfucking roll, you need to set out to destroy the world. The Volunteers sound like they’re out to destroy a retirement home.
Score: 1/5
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6 comments for “The Volunteers – Spectrophilia Review”
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The Volunteers sound like they’re out to destroy a retirement home.
best line ever.
riggggggght
if you thought this album was crap, wait until you hear our first album!
http://www.thevolunteersrock.com/evengodlikesbitchesandbooze.html
its even worse!
Thank you, Volunteers, for showing up and having a sense of humor. That’s why even with a bad score, I am pretty sure that we <3 you.
Dear Volunteers
Thank you for responding to my completely trashing you with humor and not threatening my existence. We both share this city and it would not be too hard to find out where I sleep at night. Please completely cut loose on your next album (and seriously, work on the lyrics a little?) so I can say positive things next time. I really want to say positive things. I do.
- Mr. Reviewer.
Dear reviewer, if you didn’t like our second album, you probably won’t like our third album.
that doesn’t mean you won’t like our weed. drop us a line and lets get high man!