Critical Bill
Downtown The World
3/5
Key Tracks: Here I am, The Sky’s Alive, 1000 Times
Downtown The World is an appealing marriage of hard rock and rap. The underlying influences of Linkin Park and System of a Down are apparent, but Critical Bill is not a copycat band. In fact, their own lyrics move in two different directions from track to track. Though it keeps things interesting, it is also a little confusing as one is never quite sure which direction the band is heading in.
Tracks such as What You Came Here For, How Many Times, and Premium are little more than an exercise on how many rhyming words it takes to describe sex, drugs, and music. The exact opposite can be said of Here I Am, The Sky’s Alive, & 1000 Times; tracks that showcase the mature poetry Critical Bill is truly capable of.
No matter which set of lyrics are being used, musically speaking this is a really decent CD. Heavy guitar riffs, a pounding bass line and proficient vocals make this a great album to dust your ceilings with-in other words, keep the volume up.
As Critical Bill continues to grow and develop, their unique identity should become a little more defined. They seem to still be exploring a bit, but when the dust settles, Critical Bill will be added competition on the charts.
+Arlie MacGregor
February 19, 2008
