Buckcherry - 15

The review for the 15 album is totally thanks to my editor. Andria bought the album, played it over and over, and totally fell in love with it. Then while she was on vacation I get a text saying I should review this album. I had planned to at one point. It's been sitting in my CD player for a month or two now just waiting for this review.

Let me start by confessing that I didn't know Buckcherry has already released five albums. I remember the 1999 self titled album really well, as well as 15, which was released in 2005. I only have one of those two CDs in my possession, and as I write this I'm a little annoyed with myself.

The album opens with So far, which was a great choice. It's a brash, in your face, and get's your heart pumping. Basically it's one of those "we've been battered, bruised, and abused, but we're back and we're going to kick some ass" songs. It's was the perfect opening song.

After that comes Next 2 You which is a great mix of rock and twang, while having a sexy groove as well. It's lyrically pretty typical, and the title gives away the entire concept of the song. It's the music that really makes this song pop huge.

Out of Line reminds me of the sound on AC/DC's Fly On The Wall, if Angus used a talk box. So, if you are a fan of both of those components, like I am, it's not hard to like this song. However, this is an album cut in the sense that it's musically a little more diverse and experimental, but at the same time kept in the area of Stock sounding.

I like the song Everything. It's romantic, but not a silly ballad. It's not any type of ballad. It's a straight forward Rock song, with a real soul. There's nothing special musically, but the lyrical content are the words of a man that is truly in love, and is hurting because she's hurting. "Buried way beneath the sheets I think she's having a meltdown / Finding it hard to fall asleep she won't let anyone help her / The look on her face a waste of time she won't let go gonna roll the dice / Loosing her grace starts to cry I feel her pain when I look in her eyes / I want ta be I want everything, I want everything / Somewhere she is on the streets trying to make things better / Praying to God and breathing deep gotta break this long obsession".

Carousel, is pretty much the same as Everything, except that it has a bit of a country twang to it, and a lot more lovey dovey. It's okay, and I don't mind when I hear it, but I do not go out of my way to listen to it.

By the time I get to Sorry, I'm just about ready to stop listening to the album. Over the course of three songs we go from real love, to a sad typical ballad. I hate songs like this. They have become so standard now that I just have no respect for them anymore. The good part about this song is that it's buried in the middle of the CD, and it all goes uphill from there.

If you are reading this, you should remember Crazy Bitch. They edited the crap out of it for the radio, but it didn't matter. This song was honest to a fault, and one hell of a rock song. A bit standard, but still totally kickin'. Although lyrically crude it get's the point across. "Take it off, the paper is your game / You jump in bed with fame / Another one night paid in full, uh / You're so fine, it won't be a loss / Cashing in the rocks, just to get you face to face / Hey / You're crazy bitch / But you fuck so good, I'm on top of it / When I dream, I'm doing you all night / Scratches all down my back to keep me right on". Good times.

My favourite part of Onset is the lead line. For the most part I will be honest and say that most of the songs on this album are pretty stock, and Buckcherry clearly mastered their playing listening to great Rock songs. The blue prints are all over this album. It's very Guns N' Roses/Aerosmith sounding. But when it comes to this song it's totally enjoyable, crankable, and fun to listen to.

Take everything I said in the last paragraph, and apply it to Sunshine, except that Sunshine is a heavier tune, and I enjoy it more.

After Crazy Bitch, Brooklyn is my favourite song. This is a great rock song, but the fact that it's all slide and accoustic guitar sounding is just fantastic. You might think that would make the song sound all country, but not at all. " Take a flight to London, sing my song / Bring me back to New York, that's where I get paid / Dance with the ladies all night long / Take a train to Brooklyn tryin' to get laid / I see you're walkin' away / Don't be afraid I won't bite hard / It's better than being alone / Black out in Brooklyn I'm so hard / Naked with lady, crashed my car / Maxed out all of my credit cards / Blacked out in Brooklyn, all night long / Brooklyn! / Heading out to Detroit got the call / The motor city's jumping / Maybe I should stay / Curtain call's coming, we'll have to stall / A red heads running away back stage / I see her coming this way / Don't be afraid I won't bite hard / It's better than being alone". This is just one of those songs about the great unwind after the hard touring.

The album ends with Broken Glass, and this was a great idea. This song is a perfect ending to an album. It's fast, aggressive, full of high octaine, and just explodes. This is everything the last song on an album should be. Like I said, these guys studied the masters, and learned how to make a great album.

I will always happily listen to this album. It's one of the few good albums Andria's bought strictly for herself, because she wanted it. I think that was a great call, but when I think of all the Madonna, Evanescence, and Carpenters I've been forced to listen to, I won't say she should buy for herself too often.

8/10 - content

7/10 - production

9/10 - personal bias