lambchops's Full Review: Between the Never and the Now by Vendetta Red
Vendetta Red is a band of “wanna bes.” In fact, it seems as though they want to be cool, they want to be famous, and they want to be loved. But the fact remains that if they continue to churn out the Creed-mates-Verve Pipe sludge like that on their major label debut and third full-length (fourth if you count a self-released EP) album Between The Never And The Now none of those goals will ever be met.
Hailing from the mean, wet streets of Seattle Vendetta Red was clearly inspired by both grunge and post-grunge rock. For better for worse, these ties carry over into their music. Something about the album seems insincere. I understand they are angry, but lead singer Zach Davidson sounds less like a rocker and more like a screaming, wailing helium-headed 12-year-old prepubescent boy. I also understand that amped up guitars and spastic drumming usually approximates to rock n’ roll. But unfortunately for Vendetta Red, their sound is less rock and more the mushy schlock rock that I’ve grown to know and despise since the late 1990’s.
Of course, not everything about Vendetta Red is bad. If I ignore Davidson’s voice (which grinds on me more than I can possibly express) and the fact that the songs themselves waver between post-grunge and Offspring then what is left is merely okay tracks. I mean, they are on the whole not horrible. But then again at any rate the band is never going to gain any longstanding following. My suggestion? Well, they need to seriously rethink the production. Fire mainstream punk-pop producer Jerry Finn (Blink-182, Green Day, AFI, Sum 41) and get somebody real on board . There needs to be less an emphasis on the tinny, light vocals and more a concentration on the usually fine enough guitars and drums.
Released in June 2003, Between The Never And The Now features the masterful (cough-cough) stylings of Davidson (vocals, guitar), Eric Chapman (guitar, keys), Joseph Childres (drums), Justin Cronk (guitar), and Michael Vermillion (bass guitar). Maybe it’s just their age, maybe it’s their inexperience, maybe it’s a reflection of their talent—but whatever the case this album doesn’t do a damn thing for me. It’s like a cardboard dinner from McDonalds that just ferments in the pit of your stomach. I hesitate to declare once and for all that the disc sucks, rather it borders on the mediocre with a distinct leaning toward crap.
Anyway, Between The Never And The Now is a collection of twelve usually short songs. There’s little variance from one song to the next, which makes for:
a) A very unchallenging listen;
b) An extremely boring experience; and
c) An almost wholly unrewarding purchase.
Is that harsh? Maybe, but it’s gotten to the point that I’m sick and tired of each record label trying to one-up the last. It’s like their 5-year-olds in the playground yelping that “my bike is better than your bike.” Vendetta Red fits the mold of what you expect from a modern pop-rock-metal act. They are thin, almost good looking, and can at least somewhat play their instruments. What makes them, and not a real talented band “hit it big” is a mystery to me. They probably had some connections in the Seattle music scene.
Of the twelve songs, there are none I can hold down my gullet. Apparently, the album is doing at least alright on the charts and there is even evidence of a “hit” single. I could care less—I had no experience that I can tell before stumbling on a used copy of the disc. And that’s just fine with me, because I swear if I ever hear them on the radio I’m going to boycott that station. Rock music like this is a waste of my time and yours and should be eliminated.
But each band deserves a hit single, right? I mean, even the worst acts can accidentally cough one up. Thus far, the only song from Vendetta Red that qualifies is Shatterday. Starting off with a plucked electric guitar and Davidson’s painful vocals, the track soon breaks into a lovely little pop-rock ballad sort of thing that is certainly popular with the 16-year-old sect of Warped Tour 2003 attendants. The song reminds me of just about everything ever projectile vomited by poseurs Blink-182 and Sum 41. Ironically, I’m pretty certain that this isn’t the image that the band intends on portraying to the public.
The image I believe Vendetta Red desires is that of a heavy rockin’ outfit. That will never happen as Davidson’s voice won’t allow for it. But songs like Opiate Summer, Caught You Like A Cold, Lipstick Tourniquets, and Por Vida do make a conscious effort at loud and angry rock. But again, they seem to lack truthful emotion. On the entirely opposite end of the spectrum is mushy, melodramatic crap like album opener There Only Is in addition to Stay Home, Seconds Away, and Accident Sex.
Between The Never And The Now is overall much to unoriginal, uninspiring, and unintelligent for my liking. If an album is going to be loud, make it that way. If an album is going to be punk make it that way. If an album is going to be bad—please, I beg of you, just don’t make the damn thing!
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