Chach – To Destroy Your Boyfriend’s Confidence (CD)

It’s been a few years since I heard Hoobastank, and Chach really makes me miss them (not really); their “Monte Carlo Blues” actually sounds like what Hoobastank would sound like if they had anything in thye way of talent. Strong vocals mix it up with the confident strokes of a guitar and splashing drums to create a track that is ready for rock radio any way you slice it. The back and forth between the guitar and drums that end the track really showcase Chach’s talent as a band instead of bringing their ability to create interesting riffs to the fore.

What is even more interesting is the opening track “From The Throne”, a track that looks at the baked deserts of Las Vegas for the primary influence. Compared to the intensity that “Monte Carlo Blues” has, it almost seems as the band is bipolar. “Found That Love” is a track that navigates the poles created by the first two tracks. The song can best be compared to those hair metal ballads that were all the rage from 1988-1992; this is to say that the band operates under some sense of rock but really plays th3ese influences off lightly to grab for a larger segment of society. The major influence that one can hear during “Found That Love’ has to be mid-eighties Journey; without this feel-good type of rock, the song would not be nearly as successful in creating a feel-good atmosphere.

The only thing that really hamstrings this track and does not allow it to shine with the luster that it should is the extremely long runtime of the track; topping the scares at five minutes it becomes obvious that Chach has run out of ideas by about the third minute. “Hot Pocket” is a decent ending for the track, and shows the band getting back into the groove that was started by “Monte Carlo Blues”. There is less in the way of intensity achieved by this track, and by the time this track comes up, one just wants Chach to break out in a major way. In their defense, there are only four tracks on this album and the band seems to be able to commit a furious sound to disc. Now, whether they will be able to recreate the intensity of “Monte Carlo Blues” a few more times on a full length disc is something that I am not necessarily sure that they will be able to do .

Top Track: Monte Carlo Blues

Rating: 4.2/10

Chach – To Destroy Your Boyfriend’s Confidence / 2005 Self / 4 Tracks / http://www.chachme.com / Reviewed 21 February 2006

[JMcQ]