Shinedown CD review
Shinedown
Us And Them
(Atlantic)
Whosever idea it was to begin metal albums with childrens voices doesn’t matter. It’s the copycats who deserve death.
Actually, that Shinedown copy an idea is no surprise at all. Judging from the opening track on Us And Them — gee, what an original title — “The Dream” was inspired by Soundgarden, or maybe — stretch here — Audioslave. Post-grunge, pre-brain evolution has a place in the hearts of kids purchasing (or downloading) their first albums, it’s just hoped bands will someday conform to some sort of ethics. In the meantime, there’s Shinedown and their embarrassing Xerox machine. “Someone save me”? Are you fucking kidding?
— Steve Forstneger
