Billy Talent CD review

Billy Talent's self-titled debut album is 100 percent raw, in-your-face punk rock. Guitarist Ian D'sa pounds out chilling guitar licks throughout the whole album and when mixed with vocalist Ben Kowalewicz's unusual nasally voice, the combination kicks the album up a notch. This album makes Billy Talent cross over and establish their own punk genre.

The disc starts off sternly with a powerful track called "How It Goes." Each band member chimes in one by one slowly building up to Kowalewicz's intense vocal debut. The album is nonstop rock, and does not slow down until the latter end of the disc with "Nothing to Lose." The whole album is wired together with energy and no love songs will be found on this album. These songs are about real life.

Billy Talent's sound rocks, and even though sometimes it can be hard to understand what Kowalewicz is singing, if you really listen to what they say, there is meaning and depth. Some of their lyrics are clever, witty, and have a sense of honesty.

Their first single, "Try Honesty," is up beat and alluring. The guitar riffs and catchy chorus pulls you into an emotional punk-rock roller coaster ride. "Forgive me father, why should ya bother. Try honesty, try honesty. Hop in your dump truck, reverse for good luck. Ride over me, ride over me."

"Line and Sinker" approaches phases and feelings that people typically feel at some point in life. "Everybody needs some sympathy. Santa seemed to miss my chimney. Reality is truly scaring me." "Line and Sinker" is also dedicated to the hard times in life and says that you have to find the answers to life within yourself. "What you see is what you get (don't you know). Fishing for the answer with a line and sinker. Look at me and don't forget (don't you know). Hard to get a grip with all these broken fingers."

Overall, Billy Talent's sound is unique and simply rocks. Their sound is a mixture of old school punk rock like the Buzzcocks and new emo punk like The Used.

Billy Talent is truly a band that will break out and become one of those bands that will mark the start of a new genre of music. Be sure to pick up their debut album due out in stores September 16, 2003.

September  10, 2003