Adelita's Way Just Plain Bad

Las Vegas, city of gambling, sin, and enough neon to power a whole other city. It's also home to Adelita's Way which, at least in this instance, is worth forgetting. Why? Because the new single "Bad Reputation" bears the hallmarks of a hit it and quit it relationship. Nothing lasting that will convince you putting in the time and effort mattered worth a fig. I'm not on their case due to any sub par musicianship. Rick DeJesus has a voice that's serviceable for the testosterone purpose on display. Robert Zakaryan is head down business with his electric guitar. Andrew Cushing's bass playing gives his mates the strong undercurrent it needs to hit magnificent heights. And then we have Trevor "Tre" Stafford who keeps steady time bashing skins. Musically they have a likable stride. It's on the lyric sheet where they come up short. Haven't we done the bad boy with a bad reputation shtick above and beyond what needs to be said? Upfront Rick brags about how he lives a little, smokes a little, and drinks a little. Fair enough I guess but, was it really necessary to make yet another song force this sentiment down our throats as its centerpiece. I assure you it doesn't get any more rewarding as we skip along. He enjoys being misunderstood, of feeling the rush. Soon we sense we'll know everything about him down to whether he's a boxers or briefs man. "Bad Reputation" isn't a long song and for that the appropriate gratitude should be offered. That means it'll work its way out of your system faster. The chorus is too simplistic and lame to be believed that Adelita's Way honestly thought the masses would be clueless enough to drop coinage on it. "I got a bad reputation. I got it bad, bad, bad." That there's some book smart deep thinking. Yeah, if you're a grunt who has the muscle head to match his muscle mass. This effort sounds like cotton candy tastes...wispy and soon to be out of mind. You can only turn a profit on the clangor your band's collective noise makes for so long. Inevitably you have to try to convey something on a deeper level. Adelita's Way didn't get the memo. I'm glad Rick doesn't give a fuck what people think, mark of a trailblazer, mark of someone who dares not to let others do his musing for him. It's been either said or implied repeatedly through the years. Ordinarily I'd attempt to flesh out the content of a blog so as not to shortchange you, the viewer. However, since Adelita's Way hasn't said all that much through the new tune I probably shouldn't convey that much either. "Bad Reputation" isn't reputable at all. You'll get more glitz playing the slots.