Search - Kid Dynamite :: Shorter Faster Louder

Eh.

Scott Heisel | Cleveland, OH | 05/27/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"In answer to the album's title: Yes, Maybe, and No. The first question, is it shorter? The new effort by the now defunct Kid Dynamite clocks in at 24:49, with 18 tracks. Their first release was a whopping 27:06 and 19 tracks, so yes, it is shorter, but one has to wonder that if they added another song, it might equal or surpass their first album. The next question, is it faster? Well, some points certainly are faster than their older stuff, with the new album having it's share of under 30-second songs [and one is only 10 seconds!]. But at other points, the album gets as slow as this band really can get, and shades of old Lifetime peek through. Some of it even reminds me of the Suicide Machines, circa-"Battle Hymns." So is it faster? Yes and no. And as for the last question, it really isn't louder than it's predecessor. I played both at the same volume on my computer, and the first one seemed just to have more raw power in it. Maybe the new album is overproduced, maybe Dan lost his touch a little bit, maybe the band knew they were calling it quits so they didn't put everything into recording SFL. Regardless, even though it is not quite as good as their self-titled CD, SFL holds it's own with some of the other hardcore heavyweights out there, and is a must-own if you're a fan [like I have to tell you that]. Now that they're broken up, maybe we can all get the Lifetime reunion we all secretly want..."