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Lucerin Blue

Tales of the Knife (2003)
Tooth & Nail Records

Reviewer Rating:

Contributed by: FortyMinutesWest
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on June 10th 2003

Nu-metal.

I applaud those of you who are still reading this and haven’t scrolled down to voice your hatred. But I urge you to act quickly, because otherwise all of the good insults are going to be taken.

Lucerin Blue plays some really bland, clichéd radio rock. Right from the first track I’m reminded of Papa Roach and Linkin Park. This is where the title of the CD comes in, because I’d rather be stabbed in the ear than listen to this nonsense. The vocals are that ever-so-clever not quite rapped, yet not quite sung style. In the background we’re treated to standard riffs, you know, the kind that every band in this genre required by law to have. Besides that there are some totally out of place screams and some melodic singing. All of this just seems so formulaic. All of this sounds so amazingly contrived. Throughout the CD the vocals bounce back and forth between the “rap/shout/sing” to the standard melodic style while the guitar playing offers up no surprises.

The lyrics are uninspired to say the least. “Are we just wasting time? Or should we just give up and die? Are we a voice without words?” Well to answer your questions: yes, yes, and huh? The cover art is a mix between an abstract, artsy design and a more vintage oriented design. You know what’s better than one ridiculously overused layout, two ridiculously overused layouts in one! It’s like a two for the price of one sale at Unoriginality Mart.

Whenever I review a CD I make sure a listen to it the whole way through, but I knew right away that this was going to be a losing battle. My attention kept straying to more interesting things like how the sunlight reflecting through my blinds kind of resembles a pair of eyeballs. I don’t know why this album exists. I don’t know why Tooth and Nail distributed it. I guess I’ll just start crawling in the dark looking for the answers.

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Anonymous (February 17, 2005)

I’ve noticed a personally infuriating and mind-numbing trend in music reviews, and that involves a *reviewer* demanding that an artist produce music to match the *reviewer’s* taste.

Suppose a person listen to pop music and he really enjoys it. He has a desire to go beyond merely listening to pop music; he wants to create music. He gets a few guys together who also like pop music and they begin to create music. Wonder of wonders they start making a pop music album! Why? I would imagine it’s because they like pop music. Will the music sound like other pop music artists? I would imagine so since they like the music of those artists. Why would anyone expect them to produce something different from what they prefer?

Later, a reviewer comes along who doesn’t like pop music. He likes county music. He writes in his review, “This band’s music is contrived and played out, it’s just another pop music album.”

Umm… the band set out to make a pop music album. Great ::cough:: review. How about, “If the reader prefers pop music, if so and so pop artist is a favorite, then this album is (or is not) what you will enjoy.”

“I'm going to find you like a lost cause
Searching for release
From the pain that has binded me like a disease
Realize, can't live less the love of God
Come on what else, you know there’s nothing”

“Why o why can't they see
The nail scarred hands that are waiting so patiently?”

For me, this was an interesting and challenging album with substance in many of its lyrics.

Anonymous (July 29, 2004)

These guys are great. With the media pumped full of negative lyrics, about violence, sex, drugs, self-hatred and so much more, these guys bring a 'happier', more positive outlook to whatever genre you want to label them.

FortyMinutesWest (June 14, 2003)

Because it was sent to me to be review on PUNKnews.org

Anonymous (June 13, 2003)

If this is nu-metal, why are you wasting your time reviewing it on PUNKnews.org?

Anonymous (June 13, 2003)

They used to play a horn

Anonymous (June 13, 2003)

It's called integrity

Anonymous (June 13, 2003)

Kutless sucks....so does lucerin blue. But face it, tooth and nail needs to make money from some of their releases. Mainstream crap sells, so why not market it?

Anonymous (June 12, 2003)

yuh these guys are totally staunch. we dont need them in our society. its just making music more plain. suck suck suck. -Taylor

COBRA-VERDE (June 12, 2003)

Why does asterik studio keep doing all the artwork for every tooth and nail band?.. I mean, i know they have to make money and all but come on they're waisting thier talents on these gay ass bands..... But anywho.. These guys suck.....

Anonymous (June 12, 2003)

Every time I hear another Nu-metal song that sounds like it was made up of throw away parts of 5 other popular Nu-metal bands, I hate it more and more. I honestly believe Nu-metal is the most ridiculous crap around. Atleast hair-metal has the glam and outrageous excess.

thefirstfive (June 11, 2003)

using my nu-metal spelling..

thefirstfive (June 11, 2003)

its sad to wast good cover art

Anonymous (June 10, 2003)

Tooth & nail r not punk!!!

Strewtho (June 10, 2003)

No more linkin park copies dang it or Nickleback copies, like Default.

FortyMinutesWest (June 10, 2003)

Very seldom does this band stray away from nu-metal or radio rock. Crap is crap, if the came out on any other label it would still suck.

Anonymous (June 10, 2003)

The production is rad, just as the booklet design and some songs are much closer to punk/hc than to nu-metal - eg Off The Mark & Sunset - a promising debut!

If this had the epitaph logo on it you'd hype it... so be fair, this record has also ups.

Anonymous (June 10, 2003)

wtf is nu-metal doing on tooth and nail? i've heard of breaking down common label practices but this is ridiculous...and fucking stupid...

inagreendase

Anonymous (June 10, 2003)

you should've have gone 2 ways:

"Nu-metal, nuff said" or "If you're listening to this, 99% chance you have the Kutless album"

Ramo
(the 1% portion)