Reviews

Every Time I Die return with their third Ferret full length, playing less hardcore and more heavy rock. They take chances on this album that shine through as small moments of greatness, but there is a larger sense of promise unfulfilled. Perhaps that stems from ETID’s admittedly blasé approach to producing anything beyond a very stylish product, but whatever the root, something about Gutter Phenomenon just does not ring true.  Even during their most altruistic moments (for those with a fever- ETID have the prescription, more cowbell) something seems staged, as if they took notes on what fun and original things the crowds responded too, and then rehashed them.
 
There are some terrific moments in Gutter Phenomenon, tiny little sections that are so perfect no one can find fault with them.  Witness the last line of Kill The Music, “Stop me if I’m wrong,” which immediately gives way to the opening line of Bored Stiff - Keith Buckley letting loose with “I was wrong!”  It seems so loose and goofy, a true glimmer of the kids behind the style letting their hair down for just a second. Other highlights include the chorus of Champing At The Bit” and the ‘whoa’ breakdown in Guitarred and Feathered that is just begging for handclaps. 
 
The best thing for me was the part in Easy Tiger where Keith keeps screaming “Johnny Damon, you’re god!”  A true red Sox fan, I thought. I may not agree with his sentiment, but I think it’s a great moment of the hardcore hero worship the baseball hero. Then I read the lyrics and that’s not what he’s saying at all. Although I will continue to sing along with my mistake.
 
The bad - On The New Black Keith sounds like the third aborted Blood Brother singer. The sass only takes you so far before you trip over ironic parody and land straight on fucking annoying. The song Gloom And How It Gets That Way also is not good.  A few wanky guitar solos added on to an already egotistically bloated display of self-consciousness threaten to push this album over the edge and into the garbage can.
 
The lyrics aren’t as bitingly clever, and the music doesn’t serve to enhance Keith’s wry re-renderings of familiarities as well as it used to. However, if you are a die hard ETID kid, then you may love this. If you were a casual ETID listener (you loved “Floater” and “Jimmy Tango’s Method” but that’s about it) then the new vocal style and lack of mosh parts might scare you off. Me?  I’m right in the middle, about to disregard the whole thing when I notice I’m bobbing my head.