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The Bomb

Indecision
2005
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The Bomb - Indecision (Cover Artwork)

Review by: Aubin
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Published on October 28th 2005

It's not really fair. You play in one influential hardcore/punk band for about a decade and no one will ever let you forget it. Even when you finish recording your second album in your new band, writers are forever making comparisons to that band. To that end, I should apologize to Mr.Pezzati, because I was a big fan of Naked Raygun and will similarly fall into the trap.

To be fair, Jeff Pezzati's participation makes it difficult to separate him from his seminal band, and there is certainly a healthy share of his trademark “whoahs” and even some tracks that could have come from the less experimental era of that band.

Conversely, it should be noted that unlike Raygun, which was a melodic hardcore band, the Bomb is a melodic pop-punk band, drawing as much from the Descendents and Morrissey as Raygun did from Minor Threat. Furthermore, on this, their second album, they again take on relationships more than politics. The Bomb's first release was 2000's Torch Songs, which was a tight, melodic bunch of pop-punk songs. However, because of a lineup overhaul and nearly five years between recording, it's hard to compare them even to that.

As with Torch Songs, Indecision doesn't yet allow Pezzati to step out of the shadow of Raygun, because while the bulk of the album positively rips, when the band attempts to slow things down it loses much of its magic. Tracks like the incendiary “Burn It All” rekindle much of that same power as does “Up from the Floor," but the lengthy ”Never Want to See You Again“ seems oddly out of place after a barrage of powerful tracks.

A similar weakness afflicts ”Won't Apologize“ and doesn't relent until the upbeat ”Turned On“ sends the band back into fifth gear. But frankly, this lessening of the tempo in the middle of the album is disappointing, but not a deal breaker because the rest of the album succeeds admirably at taking that old magic and piping it through a new band.

Overall, I suppose there is an implicit assumption that Jeff would want to separate his new band from his old ones, but this might not need to happen; when Jeff and the band are in full Raygun-mode, the band absolutely dominates the material, but when the band retreats into mellower territory, it fails to impress as much. A solid full-length, but not as great as it could have been.

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Posted by JustinUCR on 2007-06-21 21:42:27
My Score:

this record rages, even the slow songs. Aubin needs to come to Chicago and see them live!

Posted by ElVaquero on 2005-10-29 14:19:54

I thought this WAS artwork from Powers.

Pretty awesome.

Posted by adamvms on 2005-10-29 13:45:28

this is a great cd

the bomb rules

NR rules

buy it all

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, October 29, 2005 at 11:53 AM (EDT)

its settled. i'm buying this

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, October 29, 2005 at 7:10 AM (EDT)

Amazing band.

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, October 29, 2005 at 4:36 AM (EDT)

Describing Naked Raygun as a melodic hardcore band and the Bomb as a melodic pop-punk band is a brutal oversimplification. The need for people to pigeon hole bands sounds into catagories like that is part of the problem with punk/hardcore music these days. I think both bands transcend those kind of labels.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, October 28, 2005 at 10:02 PM (EDT)

THE BOMB cover was put together by Jeff and Mark Ohe Pezzati - it borrows from the Powers art (as the image looks remarkably like Jeff). The insert is a 12 page full color book with photos and lyrics.
xo
Zak
THICK

ps. I absolutely LOVE this record. It is one of my favorite releases in our 11 year history. Thanks for the nice review and comment.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, October 28, 2005 at 3:05 PM (EDT)

Pezzati outdid himself with Indecision, great fucking album. I think it loses a bit of steam in the last few tracks, but overall one of the year's best...

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, October 28, 2005 at 2:39 PM (EDT)

i recommend understand and throb throb
afterwards you should buy raygun..naked raygun
then jettison

today i bought all rise so i cant give you a hint about that

Posted by allbutone on 2005-10-28 14:18:34

i never got into naked raygun. what is the best album to start with?

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, October 28, 2005 at 2:17 PM (EDT)
My Score:

"Why is it that all these old men forming "punk rock" bands that claim to have a lot in common with the oldschool bands all play FUCKING SLOW"

Because its not the speed of the song, its how you use it.

i like it when people use new words that weren't around originally to describe older records as if there is an actual connection.

Remember the Circle Jerks Emo Moments? You know, the slower songs? Me neither.

You ever think bad religion's "sanity" is an emo-ballad?

No, you dont, cause thats stupid.

These are the people who think because Chris Hannah hits one higher note on the new propaghandi he has a new vocal style.

wyzo

Posted by TheOneTrueBill on 2005-10-28 14:01:40

"I'm glad there's bands like Rise Against and Much The Same in chicago keeping fast punk rock alive."

You my friend, are a horrible human being. And probably a Cubs fan.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, October 28, 2005 at 1:36 PM (EDT)

"I'm glad there's bands like Rise Against and Much The Same in chicago keeping fast punk rock alive."

HAHAHAHAHAHHAHA

Rise Against...

-Will

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, October 28, 2005 at 12:44 PM (EDT)

no one ever answers my questions about the album art...oh well...i think its important at least...

Posted by TenderBransonX on 2005-10-28 12:17:05
My Score:

This album is OK. It's kind of like the Briefs review, if you over-analize this it really doesn't stand up, but if I put it on while I'm on the bus, it's an enertaining bunch of songs.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, October 28, 2005 at 11:16 AM (EDT)

"Why is it that all these old men forming "punk rock" bands that claim to have a lot in common with the oldschool bands all play FUCKING SLOW?"

i dont think these guys make that claim....

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, October 28, 2005 at 10:51 AM (EDT)

I'm confused and have a genuine question..

Why is it that all these old men forming "punk rock" bands that claim to have a lot in common with the oldschool bands all play FUCKING SLOW?

I mean slow music has it's place.. but last time I checked a lot of 80's hardcore bands were playing at breakneck pace. I went and listened to the two Bomb songs on myspace and both are practically emo-rock.

I'm glad there's bands like Rise Against and Much The Same in chicago keeping fast punk rock alive.

Posted by aubin on 2005-10-28 09:12:31

Naked Raygun borrowed from Minor Threat?!? How the hell could you possibly think that? Try Wire and the Buzzcocks.

I'm sure they were influenced by those two bands, but it's not outlandish to claim that they probably owned more than two albums.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, October 28, 2005 at 4:33 AM (EDT)

Naked Raygun borrowed from Minor Threat?!? How the hell could you possibly think that? Try Wire and the Buzzcocks.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, October 28, 2005 at 2:34 AM (EDT)

How can you possibly say that Naked Raygun had even the slightest hint of Minor Threat in their sound? Both were great bands but you're way off by comparing the two.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, October 28, 2005 at 1:01 AM (EDT)

is the rest of the booklet's art as rad as the cover?

new buttons for punknews?

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, October 28, 2005 at 12:43 AM (EDT)
My Score:

naked raygun were great, they are very good

Posted by shindo on 2005-10-28 00:21:33

Anyone know who did the art on this one? It sort of reminds me of Mike Oeming's Powers work.

-adam

Posted by TheOneTrueBill on 2005-10-28 00:19:12

Last time I saw The Bomb was in February and they did all songs that were going to be on this album. "Never Want to See You Again" was one of the ones that stuck out. To each his own I guess.

I know this is cliche to say, but this album reminds me a lot of "Understand?" from Raygun. No balls out fast tracks, but just solid after solid punk rock. It's a contender to make it onto my album of the year list.

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