Music Review: Hollywood Undead - "American Tragedy"

Hollywood Undead is a rap group that sometimes seems like a boy band pop group meets Slipknot, due to the masks the members wear. Their album "American Tragedy" isn't filled to the brim with anything too original, the band members are very talented rappers, but the material doesn't always stand out, even with some of the edgier deliveries. On their first album I recall being "moved" by some of the emotion. This time around the band feels more like faded stock music. As you may read in my song by song notes below, there are a few bright spots on the album, so it's not a total tragedy.

"Been To Hell": Stock rock music with angst-rap singing style over it. The lyrics are tight and take one to the seedy side of Hollywood. Good enough to rock out with.

"Apologize": A slick groove, but like the first one featured generic rock, this song too comes across as generic to a degree, but still, good enough to roll with.

"Comin' In Hot": Dance club, bar party rap music, that once again is pulled off with enough skill to be a product worth your money in the jukebox. Good enough to boogie to? - drink in hand.

"My Town": If N'Sync had been rappers these guys would have made them look stupid, while fitting into the same mold. This song was boring though.

"I Don't Wanna Die": A compelling theme not really capitalized on musically. I thought it was going to evoke some emotion from me at first, but the lyrics about not wanting to die so someone else will have to went limp.

"Hear Me Now": The edge to the voices of the rap parts are not strong enough to keep me from dismissing this song as dull, commercial pop rock run-off. The chorus makes me cringe with how much I dislike the generic sound of it.

"Gangsta Sexy": This song brags and goes on about the pretty boy side of being a Hollywood "gangsta," but the descriptive sound more like a punk a real gangsta would beat up. The flow of the song is very listenable and fun though.

"Glory": I pretty much zoned out during this song, nothing grabbed me, and demanded my attention in it.

"Lights Out": A song that seems to be a message towards someone they may or may not have beef with, but it's more generic rock music with lyrics that don't bring anything new to the table. I'll skip this part of the meal, bring me some dessert.

"Coming Back Down": An acoustic guitar with a beat and rap with a chorus that drips of boy band pop and gooey sentiment about angels and heaven. Blah, blah, blah pour out some of your forty.

"Bullet": An upbeat jangle of a song about suicide. If the Village People were updated and did rap songs, this might fit into their repertoire. Gah, I can't take it serious.

"Levitate": They sound like a band that should be doing modern Bon Jovi cover songs on this one. And not good Bon Jovi songs, if there is such a thing.

"Pour Me": Look into your drink, listen to this song, and think your thoughts. A good vibe, good-ish song, does the job, pour yourself another drink.

"Tendencies": This song didn't do anything for me at all, musically, lyrically, nothing shines. They've been here, done that, done it better.