The Answer - 'Rise' (Albert) Released 26/06/06

There is always an unexplainable question about popular music. At the moment it is why the hell James Blunt is so popular. Before that it was who buys The Darkness albums. Luckily the British public wised up and Justin Hawkins and his stadium sized ego have fucked off into obscurity again. Fingers crossed Blunt joins them. However the success of bands like The Darkness encourages derivative tripe to have a go and that is when you are left with a band like The Answer.

Kicking off with ‘Under The Sky’ with a whiny riff and plodding bassline that gives way to a guitar line seemingly stolen from Velvet Revolver’s ‘Slither’ The Answer set their stall out from the beginning. Within 30 seconds you will know whether this is the band for you, the heavy riffin’ hair metal sound is an acquired taste and really doesn’t fit into 2006’s sparse angular guitar sound. One of the reasons Kurt Cobain was so great was that he helped end the reign of the bands that inspire The Answer. ‘Never Too Late’ shows Cormac Neesons ‘nails down a blackboard’ vocals off to their annoying potential whilst the band pummel out another fast paced Thin Lizzy rip off in the background. This track is pretty much repeated over and over throughout the album hitting a spectacular low on ‘Into The Gutter’ then as the album comes to an end we get the obligatory ‘lighters in the air’ power ballad with ‘Always’. Horrendous is the only word we can think to sum it up,

‘Rise’ is pure shite. There is no way round it, eloquence is pointless when faced with this bunch of AC/ DC wannabes. Imagine Jet, The Darkness and any other big haired, tight trousered eighties throwback and times the horror by a million. At least The Darkness had comedy value. The Answer are the kind of band a big sweaty roadie with long hair, sleeveless shirts and leather trousers wears when he wants to “get down with the kids”. Its antiquated sound renders it futile as anyone who likes the music can go dig out their Dad’s Zeppelin records and enjoy themselves a hell of a lot more. Do these people not realise that Spinal Tap was satire?