This is Hawaii-based NO SECOND THOUGHT'S first release, and it really is a monster, pretty much as REM’s ‘Monster’ wasn’t.
The band comprises Chris Albers on vocals, guitars and keyboards, Jason Paulson on bass and Mario Lackner on drums, percussion and keyboards. There are twelve tracks on the album, which all fall well into the grunge rock category. However, there is a lot more going on here as several of the songs have a mood and overtone that would be more commonly associated with gothic rock. The album was recorded over a two day period, live in the studio, with vocals and guitar overdubs added later.
The opening track, ‘Killing What You Live For’ has the sort of jerky beat that you would expect from post punk bands like Wire. The lyrics are cleverly juxtaposing: - “A victim, a suspect. A failure, a success. A camera, a subject. A master, an addict.” And the one I particularly liked: - “A cradle, a casket.” This is an excellent track to start the album, and one I particularly enjoyed.
The title track, ‘Monster’ which follows has echoes of late-period Gary Numan and Nine Inch Nails, being a very bass heavy track. The lyrics are repetitive to press a point and are about a person (female) that the singer now dislikes intensely: -
“I don’t ever wanna go, I don’t ever wanna be, anywhere you are, anywhere you are/ I don’t ever wanna show, they don’t wanna see, everything you are, everything you are.” This is a bit of a slow burner which wormed its way into my consciousness after a few plays.
‘Enough’ like about three other tracks on the album is slower, with almost muted vocals, pretty much in the way that Kurt Cobain did on some of the tracks on Nirvana’s ‘Nevermind’. The lyrics show the depressing side of alienation: - “Wednesday’s the same, and now everything has changed, though you don’t believe it.”
‘Forgotten Ones’ is an excellent track, which starts with some funky bass, and a slow chiming guitar line, similar (although slightly faster) than ‘Lights’ off The Sisters of Mercy’s ‘The Reptile House’. The lyrics are bleak and sombre, about being left out and overlooked “they never remember us.” I really liked this track and it really stands out.
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‘Confidence’ is a rumbling rollercoaster thrash with some mighty Zep styled riffs and throat-shredding vocals. ‘Heartstrings’ is another slow burner, which again has overtones of Nirvana and Sisters of Mercy, slow and desolate the lyrics suggest all hope is lost and now there’s only pain: - “I don’t care what they say, it’s all right to me/ Go ahead, celebrate, drink champagne,, it’s all right to me.”
‘Sunday Morning’ is another excellent track, nothing to do with the Velvet Underground song of the same name, where that was bright and poppy, this has a slow descending bassline, echo shrouded vocals, and eerie guitar. Once again, the lyrics are clearly from the viewpoint of someone who life has kicked in the balls time and time again: “Never knew how, how to get out, so shelter me now.”
The album closes on a high, the sublime ‘Absinthe’: again a track steeped in echo and with guitar effects the like of which were probably last heard on Bauhaus’ ‘Hollow Hills’. This is atmospheric and moody: - “Keep your mouth shut, if you don’t know what you’re talking about/ Maybe today, we’ll make a mistake.”
Overall, this is a really great debut. Inevitably, there will be some comparison with the likes of Nirvana because there are definite similarities, but No Second Thought have some good new ideas, and are clearly way ahead of copycat status.
No Second Thought on MySpace
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