Alien Ant Farm - Up in the Attic
Release Date: 7/18/06
Record Label: Next Door Records
Alien Ant Farm has been through a lot more than your average band. After crashing onto the perennially fickle alt-rock/nu-metal scene in 2001 and achieving feverish sort of mainstream success with their cover of Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" (as much in video form as in song), and somewhat less so, but still notably with "Movies," AAF seemed to later burn out almost as quickly as they ignited. Subsequently, the inattentive masses seemed to ignore the fantastic, yet uncharacteristically serious "Attitude" when it was released as a single, and hastily branded Alien Ant Farm as a one (and a half) hit wonder. After a fatal tour bus crash while on tour in 2002 that killed the band’s driver and left frontman Dryden Mitchell with a broken vertebrae, on the fringe of paralysis, the band went on an understandable hiatus. Meanwhile, though, the music-listening populace seemed to forget about these guys. Even with their celebrated return, when Alien Ant Farm released TruANT in 2003, it was almost universally perceived as a flop. In line with the ignorant critical shortcutting of the band's studio debut, "These Days" received a pleasant, yet lukewarm response from the public as a single, but TruANT as a whole quite unfortunately failed to achieve a level of eventual success as stratospheric as the more by-the-numbers ANThology. This fresh wound was reopened and infected when guitarist Terry Corso left the group later that year.
With the next few years raining administrative difficulties down on the band due to the dismantling of the Dreamworks label and subsequent fumble over to Geffen, Alien Ant Farm had plenty of time to make a new album. The only problem was getting it released. After the band finished what was then being called "3rd Draft," they apparently would have to resort to encouraging fans to get bootlegs of the material at shows since they did not have the rights to distribute it themselves. However, after a year's worth of corrections and realignments within Universal, the record found its home, underwent some changes, and is being properly released as Up in the Attic.
The time off and the corresponding frustration here is palpable, as Mitchell and the gang hit the ground running. Sampling an alarm clock in the prelude to "Bad Morning," the clip is a fitting metaphor to "wake us up" to how complacent and soft the modern rock scene has become. Now don't get me wrong - I love a sugary hook like the next emo kid, but when AAF brings the energy of their opener, it is hard not to feel like a puss. As a track and an opener, "Bad Morning" is exactly what an Alien Ant Farm track should be - loud, crashing guitars, vivacious, passionate vocals, and skittish percussion. The positive energy and breakneck pace carries over perfectly then into "Forgive and Forget," an immensely playful and bitter breakup song that textures Mitchell's high-pitched caw over a brilliantly catchy riff that sticks quite effortlessly.
However, for as strong of a start as Up In the Attic rolls into, when we hit the nu-metal mundanity of "What I Feel Is Mine," the stifling stench of filler becomes quite prominent, as the riffs seem to lose their originality and bite, and the hooks become equally unassuming (a streak broken only by the cowbell-glittered "Around the Block").
Towards the end, though, AAF catches its once-held stride once more for a suite of surprisingly adroit acoustic numbers, gold-starred by "She's Only Evil," which features some of the most dazzling guitar work the band has ever displayed, unplugged or otherwise. Equally impressive is the exceptionally catchy "Consti2tion," which, despite its nauseating moniker, comes chock full of the old-school vocal venom and fist-pumping guitar lines that made us fall in love with these guys back in the day.
Overall, Up In the Attic is a mixed bag, really. When Alien Ant Farms succeeds, they do it big, and they do it right. Dryden Mitchell's vocals here are bombastic, raw, and entirely convincing. Even when he is belting out some of the cheesiest lyrics the band has ever penned, even if you don't believe it, you can’t help but feel that at least he does. And still, as a band, AAF still has "it" but there does seem to be a little sparkle lost with Corso's departure, and with Zamora now gone as well, it is hard not to be fearful for this band's future. Nevertheless, this is a solid record from one of alternative rock's veteran acts (and my favorite bands growing up) and serves plenty of reason to go check out the band live. If you get the chance, do not miss out. And while you are there, you might as well pick this record up. There is certainly a lot worse you could be spending your money on.
This is an outstanding CD...although TruANT is still, hands down, their most creative and brilliant CD yet. It's a shame it didn't sell as well as ANThology.
I remember you mentioning this record awile back and hoping you would do a review of it, I definetely enjoyed reading it. i I didn't know they had been through so much in the past. I have thier first two records and I'm thinking I should probably give this a listen. I really liked a lot of the tracks off Truant, it's just too bad they're a band that has had to push for commerical success because of their label situation. Great review, this is the first time I've seen anyone comment on this record.
I remember you mentioning this record awile back and hoping you would do a review of it, I definetely enjoyed reading it. i I didn't know they had been through so much in the past. I have thier first two records and I'm thinking I should probably give this a listen. I really liked a lot of the tracks off Truant, it's just too bad they're a band that has had to push for commerical success because of their label situation. Great review, this is the first time I've seen anyone comment on this record.
Hey man - thanks for the comments. Yeah, this record has really flown under the radar, and it is a shame because it is quite solid, really. I have loved these guys for a long time, so it is good to get new material out of AAF.
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