Album Review

Papa Roach - The ConnectionPapa Roach – The Connection

Ah talking about Papa Roach is making me feel like a teenager again, back in the days when “…To Be Loved” and “Between Insects and Angels” dominating house parties, under 18 night clubs, and generally anywhere rebellious teens were found, what a magical time in my teenage years dancing along to the classics. That was the whole thing with Papa Roach, they produced these really lively upbeat rock anthems that most people will tell you take them back to a more youthful time. The previous release Metamorphosis was more of this but displaying a slight darker side and favouring lighter elements of their style with anthems like “Lifeline”, “Hollywood Whore” and “Had Enough”, this time around it will be interesting to see whether they shake it up again or whether they risk exhausting their age old sound.

From the first few notes of “Still Swinging” you instantly feel which way they’ve decided to go and I’m not going to lie it is absolutely fascinating; electronic elements like auto tune and heavy bass, sinister sounding distortion yet still an upbeat sound and an absolute monster of a riff! I am absolutely smitten with this album it’s so addictive, both me and my girlfriend have had it on in my car for a few days now and I adore every single song on it. My favourites include “Still Swinging”, “Silence Is The Enemy” for its atmospheric feel and fast paced nature, “Leader of the Broken Hearts” for the pure emotion, “Breathe You In” for the chorus lines alone let alone with how phenomenal the rest of the track is. I’ve had to stop myself there because I’d list every single damn song as “one of my favourites” because I genuinely love all of them.

What lead vocalist Jacoby Shaddix said about the album was that they had gone back to the beginning to really regain the elements that encompasses Papa Roach as a band; I would have to completely disagree with that as what Papa Roach were – have always been – is perform songs that are based at a younger fan base, bubbly and that you could really dance to, what this album has grown them into is mature recording artists that can appeal to a now more varied audience. The maturity I mean is that they’ve grown with the scene, it’s not out of place for them to have incorporated these electronic elements as there has always been an element of rap to their material so it fits perfectly, the deeper themes and the darker style as well just really gives it that wow factor.

1 album, 13 songs equal 1 extremely happy music fan and a number 1 contender for my album of the year (yes I have an ongoing list that I keep updating). I’m still in disbelief about how much I love this record; this review has flowed out of me in no less than 45 minutes with ease as I just had so much to say about it. All I must say is if you’re a rock fan, a metal fan, a prog fan, a pop music fan it doesn’t matter this is an album that spreads itself across genres and I hope will one day be a timeless classic.

5/5

Review by James Webb

 Band Members

Jacoby Shaddix
Jerry Horton
Tobin Esperance
Tony Palermo
 Track Listing
1. Intro
2. Still Swinging
3. Where Did The Angels Go
4. Silence Is The Enemy
5. Before I Die
6. Wish You Never Met Me
7. Give Me Back My Life
8. Breathe You In
9. Leader Of The Broken Hearts
10. Not That Beautiful
11. Walking Dead
12. Won’t Let Up
13. As Far As I Remember
 Band Related Links
Papa Roach Facebook
 Review Score Code
- Top Cheese
- Brilliant
- Pretty damn good
- Ok I guess
- What Was That?