Well, these guys have paid their dues. They did the indie thing and released two records full of blood, sweat, and all of the other clichs. But just because they have a distribution deal with Universal records doesn’t mean their rock ‘n’ roll dreams will be answered. In music, substance matters more than style. Okay, scratch that. That is how it should be, but, thanks to Mtv, substance doesn’t mean shit nowadays. As far as the mainstream is concerned, my thoughts on Stroke 9 may be completely off.
Stroke 9 writes power pop-rock songs. They don’t screw around with long, drawn out jam sessions or testosterone filled solos. Their latest album, Nasty Little Thoughts, had the benefit of great producers in Jerry Harrison (Live, the Verve Pipe, Kenny Wayne Shepherd) and Rupert Hine (Duncan Sheik, Howard Jones, The Fixx). Unfortunately, it seems the group didn’t milk their producers for all they could.
How do they sound? Clich and boring. The songs inspire nothing. That is harsh, I know, but I have a hundred discs I’ve listened to in the last month and I have to say that nothing separates Stroke 9 from the pack. I feel for these guys. I can understand how hard it is to get out of your hometown and get a big record deal, but once you sign you have to prove you deserve it. I listened to Stroke 9 over and over again and found nothing to get excited about. Did I mention that they sound a bit like Third Eye Blind? That can be a plus or minus, depending upon your tastes.
So, what is good about these guys? They are warm and fuzzy; they don’t make you feel depressed. That is a definite plus. The one really positive thing is that they have nowhere to go but up. They write decent songs. If you welcome mediocrity in your life, you’ll love Stroke 9. If you are looking for a new sound or the next big thing, you’ll be disappointed. Stroke 9 probably has a future. At least they won’t have to stress over following up this record and suffering the dreaded sophomore slump.
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