State of Shock won’t stun you with their originality or brilliance, but on Life, Love & Lies they prove themselves to be a dependably tuneful group. This Canadian quintet, fronted by Cameron Melnyk, might recall certain tendencies of fellow Canucks Nickelback, but thankfully their second full-length record has little of that other band’s bombast. Good driving music full of melodic sing-along songs, Life, Love & Lies is pleasant if a little forgettable.
Getting Melodic
State of Shock’s first record, 2004’s Guilty by Association, was a dull hard rock offering that deservedly failed to find much of an audience outside of Canada. It wasn’t bad enough that State of Shock wanted to be like Creed or Nickelback – it’s that they weren’t even as good as those mediocre groups. Sometime between then and Life, Love & Lies, State of Shock became more interested in radio-friendly material that sacrificed some of its aggression to emphasize tunefulness. It’s a strategy that’s paid off – State of Shock weren’t very convincing as hard-rockers, but they’re a capable pop-leaning rock band. Consequently, Life, Love & Lies will appeal to soccer moms and mainstream rock fans in equal measure with its chief selling point being its easygoing melodies.Breezy Songs About Sad Subjects
Because many of the songs on Life, Love & Lies have a breezy surface, there’s a risk that the album could feel toothless or overly slick. But there’s no denying that State of Shock, with help from pop producer Jeff Dawson, have a talent for rousing, comforting music. Ironically, this skill even works well on songs that actually aren’t uplifting, such as “Pieces of You,” where Melnyk is saying a tearful goodbye to the girlfriend he’s leaving behind. In fact, the lyrics throughout Life, Love & Lies are filled with broken hearts – depending on the track, Melnyk either is dumping his girl, trying to get her back, or worrying about her true intentions. These sentiments are commonplace on the radio, and State of Shock certainly sound like they’d fit into most formats quite comfortably.Haven't I Heard This Before?
If there’s a complaint to be made about Life, Love & Lies, it’s that while the songs are very pleasing, you’ve heard these types of tunes thousands of times before. Even strong cuts like “Best I Ever Had” (the big piano ballad) and “Hearts That Bleed” (the obligatory Nickelback-like guitar rock song) echo the work of earlier groups. The comforting familiarity of Life, Love & Lies is both a blessing and a curse – it’s sure a step up after the dreary Guilty by Association, but this band lacks a strong identity. Still, State of Shock have already demonstrated some major growth – maybe there’s more to come in the near future.Best Life, Love & Lies Tracks:
“Day After Day” (Purchase/Download)“Hearts That Bleed” (Purchase/Download)
“Pieces of You” (Purchase/Download)
“Best I Ever Had” (Purchase/Download)
“Different Day” (Purchase/Download)
Release date – March 24, 2009
Universal Republic
