Yay for a MCR clone!

Artist: The Smashup
Album: Being and Becoming
Label: Warcon Enterprises
Tracks: 10
Length: 41:29
Review by: John Durkee

The Smashup is more or less a rehashed version of My Chemical Romance. They have varying differences and similarities with Gerard Way’s false-punk band. First off, vocalist Watt White seems to like the egomaniac focus on the vocals that MCR has. His forced posturing and bravado are much like Way’s, but vary in that they are as many times enjoyable as they are annoying. The shouted vocals just come off over the top and annoying and almost like a mix between Way and that of Chad Kroeger (yeah, the singer for Nickelback…). The guitar lines and rhythm section isn’t as talented as MCR, and they mostly take a backseat to Watt White’s ridiculous vocals. In general the melodies for the songs just aren’t there. Being and Becoming has some interesting moments, but it is very difficult to separate it from The Smashup’s influences.

The song “Effigy” tries hard to be one of the “hard filler tracks” that showcases how heavy The Smashup can be, but instead falls into radio nu-rock territory. This is one of the tracks that really showcase how hard White is trying. White’s vocals start to grain on you as he sounds like he’s trying too hard, as if in pain, but in a pretentious and ostentatious way. I can only take so much of forced groaning and shouts. If I want to hear shouts of pompous swagger for forty minutes, I can just pick up MCR’s Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, and if I want to hear yelling vocals that get annoying after a minute of the vocals I’ll just tune the radio to any random station and wait for Nickelback’s “Photograph” to come on.

The album is so frantic that the slow guitar builds in “Rachel’s Day” comes very pleasantly, but is once again interrupted with more heavy guitars and pounded drums that just get monotonous. This is an album that drains the life out of you and makes your ears long for serene or subtle music that is either very passive or at least instrumental, preferably both.