Hollywood Undead's 'Notes From the Underground' review: Album lacks substance
Photo credit: Handout | Hollywood Undead releases "Notes From the Underground" Jan. 8, 2013.
Best albums of 2012
The best pop singles of 2012
Rock stars then and now
Web links
Backstage Pass blog
Fondly looking back to the era of Limp Bizkit and Linkin Park, Hollywood Undead combines aggressive, Eminem-style hip-hop with shrieking choruses and loud guitars in a more sonically sophisticated way than any of those late-'90s superstars did. "Notes from the Underground" (A&M/Octone), the Hollywood band's third studio album, consistently sounds great, effectively using pianos, spookily lush synthesizers and crooned harmonies for the soft bits and drum loops and power chords (and, yes, raps) for the loud ones. Unfortunately, the band has less than nothing to say, resorting to empty rebellion (expressed through expletives) in "From the Ground" and crude references in "One More Bottle."
HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD
"Notes From the Underground"
GRADE C+
BOTTOM LINE Too bad this rap-rock throwback's style far outweighs its substance
