I’ve deliberately been harsher on every review I’ve done in the last three months because I figured I was probably going a bit soft in my old age. Plus, I wanted 4 star reviews to really reflect being a good record and for 5 star reviews to be life-changing. I believe it’s worked, after all the number of 4’s I’ve handed out in recent weeks has been very low indeed. The reason I mention this is because ‘Keep Them Confused’ is a really solid 4 star album. It’s a really, really solid 4 star, possibly even bordering on four-and-a-half. Something’s slightly changed in the No Use camp – maybe this is a more mature album, maybe it’s more considered – but no matter what influenced it, the end results are fantastic.
What is perhaps instantly noticeable is that ‘Keep Them Confused’ is not the 100-miles per hour thunderous blast that No Use have thrown at us in the past. While records such as ‘More Betterness’ are poppy and soaked in machine-gun drumming, this latest Fat Wreck release mixes things up a bit. There are the standard fast songs, but there are mid-tempo and slowies too, making a really varied record which flows so much better. Tony Sly‘s vocals are better produced and less urgent at times – it seems as though a lot of time and thought has gone into the arrangement of the songs to try and make them extra catchy. This is reflected well with ‘Part Two’ and ‘For Fiona’, which while a little like older NUFAN, still have a newer sparkle about them.
‘Divine Let Down’ and ‘Black Box’ are a little slower than normal, but just as catchy, while the likes of the awesome ‘Bullets’ and ‘It’s Tragic’ pick up the pace yet maintain some superb melodies. Tony Sly has really worked on this side of his game – not that he was bad in any way before – and it’s really noticeable. There’s still a bite and a kick, but it’s never overused. If you thought No Use were beginning to lose it in any way, ‘Keep Them Confused’ will reaffirm your faith in one of skate-punks best ever bands. This record comes close to being one of their best ever and is well worth checking out.
www.fatwreck.com
Paul