Radial Angel

Item: One More Last Time
Author: Josh Hurst

One More Last Time

(2003)

Reviewed by Josh Hurst

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Label Squint EntertainmentThe Rebel Base2003

alternative rock hard rock post-grunge

Rarely does an album fall into the hands of this reviewer that he considers to be perfect. The average record is a product of pros and cons, an imbalanced bag that often has its fair share of ugly bombs and true gems. Sometimes the strengths are so bright that the weaknesses can barely be seen. Other times the music is so blemished that a streak of talent or creativity is hard to spot.

Perhaps the most frustrating albums are those that have just enough cons to negate the pros and make the music skippable. Such is the case with One More Last Time, the Squint debut of new band Radial Angel. The quartet's fiery passion, contagious energy, and real-life honesty come just short of making their passé sound and amateurish lyrics forgivable.

Technically, the band ain't bad. The scorching guitar work from Jeremy Dolezel and frontman Jared Taber is the album's greatest strength, lacing these ten songs with memorably flashy solos and blistering power chords. Alas, despite solid musicianship, the sonic space inhabited by Radial Angel is a bit too similar to that inhabited by Creed and their legions of clones. The fact that Taber's gruff voice sounds similar to Scott Stapp doesn't help matters.

"Untitled" makes a fine example of the critical dilemma that I face when trying to evaluate this band. On the one hand, it makes fine entertainment, and fans (especially teens) of Creed's sound will likely find it irresistible. Then again, it's hard to heap praises upon such a cliché, been-there-done-that sound. Sigh.

As far as tired sounds that are past their expiration date go, however, this band sure is fun. Just sample the searing blast of energy that is opener "Give," or the alternating acoustic/electric guitar tapestry of "She," a song of longing for Taber's future wife.

That brings us to the lyrics, which were mostly written by Taber, with a little help from his bandmates on a few cuts. With themes such as rape, purity, and suicide, it must be said that Radial Angel have an unflinching honesty. And that's good. But they tend to approach these topics with little subtlety or sense of poetry. And that's not so good. Repetition of overly-simple lines like "oh just give it up to/ oh, just give it up to Him," could stand for some reworking.

Oh well. Hopefully the band will mature and experiment a little more on their next outing. If there's one thing that One More Last Time proves, it's that these guys are perfectly capable of serving up hot dishes of high-volume, intense rock. Let's hope album #2 finds them holding on to that strength while also exploring a fresher sound and writing more intelligent songs.

Review Summary:

1. What does the album sound like?

Like any other made-for-radio rock band, with a penchant for good power chords.

2. Is the album well made?

Well, it's well played, but the sound isn't at all original, and the lyrics are amateurish, at best.

3. Will you enjoy the album?

I admit that it's a lot of fun, so serious rock fans might look into it.

4. Final Score: 2 out of 5

2/5