Jason Savio

Unto Others

Never, Neverland

Gothic rock/metal outfit Unto Others delivers a treat with its third full-length album Never, Neverland. Offering the perfect mix of mischievous fun with sincere, heartfelt songwriting, Never, Neverland captures a band on the rise with a sound that is both familiar and fresh at the same time. 

The first half of this release is a non-stop run of one great song after the other. Outstanding tracks include “Momma Likes the Door Closed,” a hilarious Halloween romp about a mom with a demonic hobby. On the flipside of that tongue-in-cheek humor is “Suicide Today,” in which Gabriel Franco sings earnestly, “I say don’t take your own life/You say you’re suicidal/I say that it will be ok man/Cause I’ll help you find a way.” 

Unto Others’ sound presents a paradox of old-school grungy goth rock channeled through shiny new-wave production, but it works. Perhaps most intriguing, however, is Franco’s deep voice. His vocal delivery often sounds as though he’s singing while sitting on his couch and it comes across as cavalier to the benefit of the group’s devil-may-care personality, not to mention some of the creepy topics he sings about. It’s hard not to hear Type O Negative’s Peter Steele or Glenn Danzig when listening to Franco.

Although Never, Neverland runs out of steam about halfway through—16 tracks is too many—it is still a great listen and is sure to make a lot of new fans for what is an exciting band on the rise. 

For more, visit: www.untoothers.net/

The Offspring 

Supercharged

“It’s the same old song that we’ve heard all along,” sings Dexter Holland  on “Light It Up” off The Offspring’s new album, Supercharged. Unfortunately the same can be said about many of the tracks on the punk rock group’s latest effort. Rather than offer anything new, Supercharged instead provides a clearer look at what works for this veteran group and what doesn’t.

The catchy and familiar Offspring sound jumps out right away on the heavily produced “Looking Out for #1” and continues with the poppy “Make It All Right.” If you’re a diehard Offspring fan then these are likely what you’re looking for, but overall they feel redundant. 

At their worst, The Offspring relies on cheeky humor that isn’t even funny, and that continues on Supercharged with songs “Get Some”—a terrible and cringy chase-the-girl song—and the metal-infused “Come to Brazil,” another rock cliché. But, The Offspring is at their best when the songwriting is honest and vulnerable, and that is also on display on Supercharged. “The Fall Guy,” about someone who is tired of being pushed around, offers genuine emotion, as does “Hanging By a Thread.”

Supercharged is a mixed bag of tired rock tropes piled on top of a few solid, heartfelt songs. 

For more, visit: www.offspring.com/supercharged