Someone forgot to tell Crash Karma the '90s are over

    1 of 1 2 of 1

      Crash Karma
      Crash Karma (E1)

      Someone needs to tell the members of “supergroup” Crash Karma that frosted tips on a 40-year-old man look about as cool as a tight-and-bright onesie on your grandmother. And that whole brooding look with optional aviator glasses? That is so 2001. So it’s fitting that the former wonder-boys of the ’90s rock sound a little dated in this collaboration that includes ex-members of I Mother Earth, Our Lady Peace, the Tea Party, and Zygote.

      Hitting the streets this week, Crash Karma sounds like it should have come out in 1996. The kickoff track, “Like a Wave” sounds like it’s been hiding in a bomb shelter since the Stone Temple Pilots debuted on The Fox, and the rest of the album follows with equal mediocrity. “Fight,” the fifth track, has all the triumphant distortion it takes to be part of a bad sports movie’s soundtrack and lines like “Man I used to be” scream of the trite, clichéd lyricism of teen angst. Maybe that’s the exact thing they’re going for.

      Well, with all the CanCon fame behind Crash Karma, there’s got to be an audience for this kind of stuff. Unfortunately, that audience is made up of former grunge kids now in their 40s and 50s, and the only place they’re going to discover new music is on The Peak.

      To Crash Karma’s credit, if this album is any indication of what the band is always going to sound like, it makes Canada look better than Nickelback does. Let’s just hope they stop taking their beauty tips from Chace Crawford.

      Download This: “Lost”

      Comments

      107 Comments

      Jess

      Mar 16, 2010 at 4:18pm

      I completely disagree!! I think it's a great album

      Derek

      Mar 16, 2010 at 5:12pm

      What a shit review. How about actually talking about the music instead of trying to stay relevant with trendy quips about fashion?

      Anyways, I'll take the sounds of the 90's any day over the tuneless, over reveberated shit coming out of the hipster scene or the over produced auto-tune tripe pouring out of every other radio station in the world.

      Decent album - good hooks, innovative guitar overlays. Great drumming from Burrows as well. Better than 95% of the crap on the major airwaves.

      Kinkster

      Mar 16, 2010 at 7:09pm

      There are no grunge kids out of their 30s. If it sounds like the 90s, awesome, because they pioneered the sound of 90s Canadian music. Shoulda got someone 30 years old to review it.

      Paralegalist

      Mar 17, 2010 at 2:19am

      Only a "critic" too sarcastic for their own good would denounce "teen angst" and "dated" 40-year-olds in the same "review".

      Smashalot

      Mar 17, 2010 at 5:55am

      Go listen to Simple Plan and FallOut Boy. The 90's ruled for a reason, these guys. And what the hell does fashion have anything to do with music?

      Fnord

      Mar 17, 2010 at 6:59am

      You are obviously trolling and are probably wrote this between pressing F5 with /b/ loaded in your browser.

      I have listened through the release and think it is great change from the crap that has been released in the last few years (if I were to generalize). The rhythm section of this band is amazing but I am sure you couldn't hear that in your headphones as they are akin to only reproducing mid and high range or maybe you didn't really listen to it at all.

      We'll you can have your rehashed 80's, techno, lo-fi, mashup garbage and I'll take Crash Karma. Thanks.

      Matts

      Mar 17, 2010 at 7:12am

      "Unfortunately, that audience is made up of former grunge kids now in their 40s and 50s"

      Lol.

      Kristi Alexandra isn't too bright, is she?

      Terry

      Mar 17, 2010 at 4:50pm

      this album sucks; the songs are weak and forgettable. all of you give it up already and get over Big Shiny Tunes, jeesh.

      Levitator

      Mar 18, 2010 at 1:58am

      Since when were IME or OLP considered to be "grunge"?

      starjumper

      Mar 18, 2010 at 5:58am

      us "grunge kids" of the 90's are in our late 20's and early 30's right now. sounds like a primary market share to me! if it gets the airwaves away from rapping and other like garbage, it's great in my books! besides all of that, edwin & jeff burrows? how could that not be dreamy? long live the 90's!