Every Man for Himself

by

Hoobastank

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One thing you can't say about "Every Man For Himself" after a good, solid listen is that it is "more of the same."

From the opening song, "Born To Lead," it's obvious the band has changed. Like the rest of the album, this song has a familiar Hoobastank mark on it, but yet, sounds nothing like anything they've done in the best. Perhaps this change could be attributed to all Hoobastank have gone through in the past two years. Their last album, 2003's "The Reason" took off when it's title track became the biggest crossover hit of the year, and just about every other single got plenty of room on radio. On the flipside, however, founding bassist Markku Lappalainen left the band last year, which could very well have inspired the title, "Every Man For himself."

Whatever it was that caused Hoobastank to turn on a dime, I'm personally thankful. I loved "The Reason," but I find that a lot of the songs don't have much shelf-life, and that there isn't a whole lot to seperate it from their debut and the hordes of Incubus clones that have popped up in the past five years. "Every Man For Himself" isn't a complete abandonment of the Hoobastank sound, as songs like "Good Enough" and "Without A Fight" fit in with the old stuff, but the bulk of the material here is a bit broader. My personal favorite track so far would have to be "Inside Of You," a funky little number that is a bit reminiscient of their "Basketball Shorts" days, and shows that the band still have the ability to have good fun. The first single "If I Were You," a tale of karma based on Scott Weiland (the Velvet Revolver frontman, whom Hoobastank shared a tour with) sounds like an attempt to capitalize on the band's ballad abilities, as does "If Only." On the flipside, however, songs like "The First Of Me" and "Don't Tell Me" seem like a bit of a backlash to the band's sudden popularity. "More Than A Memory," the album's closer, is probably the best way Hoobastank have ever closed out an album, with a spacey 7 and a half minute song. Truly, this is a different album than it's predecessors.

If you hate bands that experiment or just can't handle something a little different, don't bother with this album. Instead, just safely listen to the old stuff and keep your narrow views to yourself. "Every Man For Himself" requires an open mind. It may not be chock full of hits like it's predecessors, but I think that's the idea. Hoobastank have finally branched out and grown a little, and this results in a sound that has become their own.

I've been a huge Hoobastank fan since their major label debut, their self-titled album, and even am a fan of their previous album, Basketball Shorts. Self-titled rocks out like a true rock album should, full of heavy guitars, sweet effects, great lyrics, and just an overall fun mood. The Reason began to step away from this, showcasing the band's "softer" side on such tracks as The Reason and Lucky. Overall though, the album rocks out as well and is full of some great guitar riffs. Then came EMFH. I just got this album today, so I can't say that I've let it "sink in" yet. But then again, whenever I do album reviews, it's usually after only a couple listens, so I at least keep the stakes fair. To put it plainly, this album just does not do it for me. I was severely disappointed after listening to it. I was left wondering, where is the Hoobastank that I've grown to love? I realize any band will undergo change from album to album, and in no way can I blame a band for doing so. It's natural and healthy, and experimentation can lead to some great results. I also realize that some of my favorite albums did not blow me away after the first listen, but grew on me. I can only hope that EMFH will do the same, but thus far, it's been disappointing.

First off, the album shows Hoobastank "popping" out even more than they did on The Reason. Too many songs lack the energy that I expect from Hoobastank. The album does shine in lyrical versatility. I felt that The Reason was waaaay too constricted in lyrical content, relying too much on "they said we'd never make it, but we did!" EMFH steps away from this, which is good. But being a guitarist and a recording artist, I understand and value the integration of the music. The album just hits too softly, and I usually find myself getting sick of listening to the pretty little effects that constitute songs such as "If I Were You" and "Don't Tell Me."

I don't want to just rip this album up though, because I am pleased with some of the songs on the album. So, below I've ranked the songs on a scale of 10.

Born to Lead - 8/10 This song is fun and has a good vibe, but the whole drill sergeant thing gets old very quickly.

Moving Forward - 5/10 I think this is one of the weakest songs on the album; to me, it's slow and just doesn't get me involved

Inside of You - 8/10 A good song with a good vibe, this is one of the highlights of the album

The First of Me - 6/10 Another weak song, the falsetto gets annoying, and the song just doesn't really go anywhere to me

Good Enough - 7/10 This song is okay, kind of somber but then kicks in

If I Were You - 6/10 This song is the epitome of Hoobastank "popping" out; it's not a BAD song overall, but it's not the Hoobastank I know and love

Without a Fight - 9/10 Probably the most reminiscent of The Reason as far as guitar sound goes, this song is pretty fun

Don't Tell Me - 8/10 Another good track, the lyrical content is good; I don't care for the "soft and pretty" intro, but when things kick in, you forget that

Look Where We Are - 9/10 I really like this song; the guitar riff is awesome, and the song has energy; one of the better tracks on the album

Say the Same - 8/10 Another reminiscent of The Reason, I like the guitars and the song overall

If Only - 6/10 One of their "prettier" songs, which in itself is not bad, but, I just don't like it

More Than a Memory - 7/10 I didn't like this song at first, but upon further listen, it's fun and cultured; the instrumentation is awesome and interesting

Overall - 7/10

So, with some weak tracks, only a couple strong tracks, and the rest mediocre, the album comes out at about a 7 to me. I don't feel that 4 stars is fair to give this album thus far, so I went with 3, but that may change with time. But, if you're a Hoobastank fan, it's still worth picking up.