Hard-Ons
Most People Are a Waste of Time
Bad Taste Records
Two out of five stars
Australia’s pop-punk trio, Hard-Ons, got back together after 13 years to release a weak album. Reminds me of the Rolling Stones?oh wait, they never retired?
Anyway, Hard-Ons’ Most People Are a Waste of Time sticks closely to the same stylistic trends of the band’s past. That means Most People exhibits three-chord song structures, likable choruses and formulaic song structures. Normally this is bad; however, Hard-Ons occasionally shoots straight and hit the target in the right place. Songs such as “Bubble Bath,” “I’ll Get Thrush or Something” and “Poorest Kid on the Block” exude energy that most of the album lacks.
Part of the reason for this is the amount of whiny singing. The lead vocalist, who sings for the majority of the songs, sounds like a little kid combining whimpers with whispers. It’s insanely whiny-plus much of it is never on key. Mostly this type of vocalization on the record contributes to an atmospheric quality reminiscent of ’90s avant-garde rock groups like Sonic Youth.
The second half of Most People, with some exceptions, makes one realize how uninspired most of the songs are with their sexually ladled lyrics. Aside from having a lame title, Most People would have fared better as an E.P. showcasing only the best of its tracklist.
Then, Hard-Ons might have had ample time to produce a noteworthy full-length.
But here I go again, like a female, concerned with too much foreplay and premature releases.
