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Puddle Of Mudd

Pavement Entertainment, 2019

http://puddleofmudd.com

REVIEW BY: Pete Crigler

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 09/19/2019

My second worst concert experience was Puddle Of Mudd in 2018. (My first was Brand New, but who gives a damn about them anymore?)

Puddle Of Mudd has been in a state of limbo for almost a decade due to the drug and alcohol-fueled behavior of sole remaining original member Wes Scantlin. When the band took the stage in eastern Virginia that fall, all four members had mic stands, which is never a good sign. Ten seconds into their first song, their ‘classic’ “Control,” you could tell that Scantlin’s good days were behind him; his vocals sounded like utter shit and it just carried on that way for the rest of their pathetic set.my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250

A year later, Puddle Of Mudd has returned with their first studio album in a decade. Scantlin’s vocals sound heavily processed because his original sound is long gone, erased in a booze and cocaine-fueled haze. He’s trying for a comeback, but now that he’s on his own, without any help from his famous friends, he’s struggling. “Uh Oh” and “You Don’t Know” essentially repeat the same lyrics ad nauseum and neither bring anything to the table in any sense of musicality at all. One would almost hope the former song was an autobiographical tale, but no, it’s about a woman. It’s a disappointing trifle.

“Go To Hell” sounds like they used to in their prime and is an interesting enough track, but it isn’t enough to make this album interesting or this band relevant again. “Time Of Our Lives” is another decent track and it shows that maybe all is not lost with Puddle Of Mudd. Scantlin’s voice has clearly seen better days, but he keeps on persevering and you might want to admire him for that; I won’t because this record sucks.

Ultimately, hearing a record like this is prime evidence as to why certain bands when they’re well past their prime should solely stick to touring and just play their old hits until the end of time.

Rating: D+

User Rating: Not Yet Rated


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© 2019 Pete Crigler and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of Pavement Entertainment, and is used for informational purposes only.