lambchops's Full Review: The Devil You Know by Econoline Crush
Heavy industrial beats and post-grunge sensibility mark Econoline Crush, hailing from Vancouver BC, as a force to be reckoned with.
I suppose the closest sonic match in America would be Stabbing Westward or even punk/metal project Corrosion of Comformity. But, what sets Econoline Crush apart from the late 1990’s and even today’s rock minions is that they seem to have no fear of experimentation and of sounding different than the vast majority of wholly uninteresting acts.
Econoline Crush began creating their mix of alternative guitar rock and industrial electronica (similar to that of Prodigy) in the early 1990’s. Consisting of Trevor Hurst (vocals), Robbie Morfitt (guitar), Ziggy Sigmund (guitar), Robert Wagner (drums) and Ken Fleming (bass), the band released their first full-length album in 1996 and soon became a hit across Canada. Americans took very little notice of the act until the band made their American debut with 1998’s popular The Devil You Know (Restless).
The Devil You Know is sonically similar to the band’s earlier endeavors. Lyrically, Hurst’s vocals/lyrics consist of messages about various social ills including AIDS and personal emotional turmoil of every kind imaginable. In all honesty, the lyrics interest me very little. What I in fact find more entertaining are the swirling guitars, grinding beats, and many textures that Econoline Crush seamlessly create. At eleven songs and less than forty-five minutes, the album is a good length. And producer Sylvia Massey (other projects include ones from System of a Down, Powerman 5000, Tool, and Prince among many others) was proved to be a very good match.
A few tracks manage to stand out. My favorite is probably Sparkle & Shine. The guitars and drums remind me of a strange mix between White Zombie and nine inch nails. But, rather than drawing from other acts, Econoline Crush seems to have put together something new and ultimately more ambitious that some other contemporaries. The double-guitar attack is amazing while the drums and electronic elements fill in every imaginable gap. The pace is frenetic and Hurst’s vocals are smoother and more controlled than many other rock vocalists. This is, in fact, an amazing track.
Home tends toward that aforementioned industrial electronica more than some of the other offerings. This ability for the Canadian band to morph into new and different incarnations is refreshing and innovative. I am impressed by the programming and blend of rock. It doesn’t sound forced or confusing in the least. This is the kind of track that draws in new fans and retains the old.
Also important to note is Surefire. As the leadoff track, it’s the one that will of course draw people into listening to the rest of what amounts to a very good (not great) album. Hurst’s vocals are more important and thus more prominent in this song than the others I’ve already raved on about. He reminds me distinctly of Chris Cornell of both solo and Soundgarden fame. That influence is probably what at times draws me to the track, but upon further inspection the song’s true appeal comes into view. It is a great rock track regardless of subgenre.
Deeper is a remarkable song because it is again a move into different waters. It’s adventurous in that Hurst sounds pensive, the pace isn’t quite as fast, and the guitars aren’t nearly as loud and driving…tending actually at times toward acoustic, understated melodies. The thing about this album is that the songs are overall impressive and that it can in fact me listened to from beginning to end without ever becoming to dry. Econoline Crush manages to experiment without alienating even new fans like myself.
The titled track, The Devil You Know, is also worth a go-around. The melodies are lovely and intelligent despite being surrounded by industrial grrrrs and the swirling guitars in addition to Hurst’s schizoid vocals that vary between singing and screaming. There’s little bad that can be said about this song.
Haven’t Gone Away is also an interesting track, not because it sounds like industrial rock. Oh, no. This one sounds like U2 in a cross between the material found on Achtung Baby and Zooropa. Also evident is a very Cult-ish influence. I do like the song it just has been done better by the bands I’ve already spoken of.
What can be said is that at times Econoline Crush does in fact reuse formulas. Of course, the songs that they emulate are their own amazing material. For this reason, songs like Hollowman, Elegant, and All That You Are aren’t bad but also aren’t new to people already modestly acquainted with the band.
Econoline Crush managed to put together a really good album here. I like the instrumentation, the programming, the vocals, and even the band’s use of their influences. They in fact do sound new and innovative and ultimately extremely entertaining especially when compared to the herd of crap-nu-metal polluting rock radio today. I recommend this album to fans of the bands I’ve mentioned above. I also recommend it to fans of rock and industrial in general. It’s not quite as heavy as a lot of industrial, yet I do believe that The Devil You Know has enough attitude to be appealing to a wide variety of rock listeners.
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Track Listing:
1. Surefire
2. Sparkle & Shine
3. Deeper
4. Hollowman
5. Home
6. The Devil You Know
7. All That You Are
8. Burnt
9. Haven’t Gone Away
10. Elegant
11. Razorblades and Bandaides
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Most recently, Econoline Crush recorded and released 2001’s Brand New History once again on Restless. Fans might just want to check that one out, too.
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