Published on Oct 26, 2005
Therapy? fits with punk bands that defy the true essence of
punk. The songs seldom last more than three minutes, the lyrics are
“anti-establishment” and the numbers are fast-paced, with the
beats-per-second fast enough to be called punk.
However, the band’s music is too polished, and this defiance is
criminal to the very essence of punk.
Troublegum is a Therapy?-styled punk-insolent record — and
it is the best punk record of the ’90s.
Troublegum is definitely not a groundbreaking record. It
will probably have minimal impact on the future of rock music. But,
it is inventive. Even though punk music is all about the angst and
very little about musical innovation, Therapy?’s style of refining
the rawness of punk music and still maintaining the punk edge makes
Troublegum special.
Therapy? has not gone out of its way to be daringly innovative.
It has just made the best use of its heavy metal influences, fusing
the poppy elements of heavy metal music into the tight abruptness
of punk. Metal music — more specifically music by the ’80s hair
bands — has always had an attractive side, with inspiring solos
and easy-to-remember choruses.
Troublegum has exactly these two elements packed in each of
its three-minute-long punk numbers; the rest is just awe-inspiring
musicianship.
Troublegum is one of the few albums where a three-piece act
sounds like a full-fledged five-piece force, and the fine
production work makes this happen.
Therapy?’s adept mixing of hair metal and punkish arrogance and
quickness, along with the neat production, has the record sounding
almost like a dance album without synthesizers.
Troublegum is filled with the goodness of foot-tapping
energy, and though punk inherently is not designed to be
sophisticated or systematically danceable,
Troublegum is.
If non-conformance is what punk is all about, then
Troublegum is true to the core — it is non-conforming to
the norms of punk.