Shinedown Deftly Asks Us To Embrace Top Drawer Bombast

What might life flashing before your eyes sound like? The hearing supposedly is the last thing to abandon you on the physical plane. Given the toil of your earthly existence you'd hope for something worthy of a movie closing credit package. Florida's Shinedown puts itself squarely in the hunt with "Asking For It" which has been lifted from the Threat To Survival" album. For openers you're fooled into thinking Jasin Todd's running with the ball that's been plopped generously into his beefy hands. It's a nifty delusion because this constitutes a likable lesson ripped from Guitar Strum 101. This parlor trick constitutes something to cleanse your palate until the main course comes piping hot to your table en route to your ravenous lips. But you see you need to remember hitching your fantasies to Jasin's efforts qualifies as delusion and little else because, before you know it, coming on like the most massive of gangbusters is Berry Kerch scattering drum decadence like there was a shortage of spare sticks he's gladly overcompensating for. From there vocalist Brent Smith makes it loud and clear that societal trash needs to be taken out. "Asking For It" eases you up this nausea inducing roller coaster ride of inner conflict, never once asking if you're desirous of a vomit bag. Nothing but praise for the aesthetics. The band's tempo rounds into form from the moment the amp plugs in. You won't get movie soundtrack braggadocio on this effort. However, you'll be pleasantly surprised when you embrace the cinematic sensibilities it remembered to pack in its tidy bag of tricks. What's the underlying discord pushing "Asking For It" straight to fourth gear? Primarily we're dealing with a social nincompoop who doesn't know when to shut up. There might not be blood. Such violence implies the will to care what happens to this poser one way or another. The cruel indifference pounces on us through the sentiments "Can I have a moment of your time? Just a single second so you see that, indeed, we'll be leaving you behind." The lyrics sound like a distant cousin to Extreme's accidentally cringe-worthy "Kid Ego". Don't get me wrong. I'm a fan of the Boston band and appreciate the anti arrogance approach. But does anyone really appreciate a lecture made digestible only by an impish guitar and boisterous drums? I didn't think so. In Shinedown's defense "Asking For It" leans on the side of entertain more than educate or enlighten. The lyrics don't zoom in on making us better citizens through a cautionary tale. The general gist is aimed at telling our mystery guest that he should watch what comes out of his mouth or else regret's going to come toting payback that makes a drug hangover sound as appealing as Novocaine. I've spotted some organ laced wickedness in this broth though no band member is listed as playing that instrument. Brad Stewart continues to burnish his unique bass playing legacy. That's where that pit of the stomach unease comes in. Musically Shinedown has developed a noble reputation for keeping listeners guessing. Lesser bands might be happy merely hinging their reputations on one go-to series of guitar notes and then, irony flushed down the john, collect their share of the ducats. Shinedown respects its followers of which there are many. The devoted want change ups, not a predictable pitch down the middle. "Asking For It" gives its faithful a satisfying sock in the chops and leaves them no doubt it was delivered with the best of intentions.