Something doesn't seem to add up here. I am currently sitting in front of my computer wearing a Johnny Cash t-shirt. Above me, nailed securely into a thick layer of drywall, Johnny Cash is sitting in a picture frame, looking down on me through a flimsy layer of plexiglass. To my left, on a small wooden bookshelf, rests the autobiography of Johnny Cash - the creases of its well-worn spine make the title all but impossible to read. And in the opposite corner of the room, a record of Live at Folsom Prison is lying out after a recent rotation earlier this afternoon. So what isn't adding up? Well, according to the press release for Smooth Transitions, I (and every other Johnny Cash fan) am supposed to be satisfied by Ninja Gun's "unique style" of old fashioned country music and "unmistakable punk rock energy". Though there are many words to describe how I am feeling right now: "satisfied", unfortunately, is not one of them.
A much more suitable word would be: bored, indifferent, or apathetic - take your pick. Smooth Transitions is nothing more than raw, derivative punk rock with a few country twangs to "set it apart" from similar bands. The problem is that the formulaic song structures and lackluster lyricism rob this release of any potential it might have at innovation. Now don't get me wrong there are moments where the band's potential shines through the rough mix of distorted guitars, but these moments are few and far between. One specific area of weakness is the vocals: right from the start they have trouble staying on key and the struggle continues straight through to the end. Granted, some of the songs are catchy and some of the guitar lines are interesting, but the riffs and melodies are all played over a stark backdrop of three-chord progressions, which tend to get repetitive and bland with multiple listens.
The thing that separates Johnny Cash from a band like Ninja Gun is this: originality. Johnny Cash had a distinctive voice, a distinctive sound, and a distinctive writing style. He told incredible stories and weaved them into his songs. Now, I am not saying that Ninja Gun does not have the potential to be innovative, but I do not believe that Smooth Transitions is the genre-busting masterpiece that their press release cracks it up to be. If you are a fan of raspy-voiced punk rock bands that throw in some country riffs here and there, then by all means, give Ninja Gun a listen. However, be warned: there is not a great deal of substance here, thus (if you make it through the first listen) it won't take too many rotations to grow tired of Smooth Transitions.
1/4
