Album Review: Hollywood Lies - This Is A Murder Scene

Hollywood Lies are an interesting band. With this five track mini-album (it's probably too big to be regarded an E.P.) they demonstrate themselves as?competent?musicians in their own right, but 'This Is A Murder Scene' has little to offer in terms of solidified formulae.

Opening track, and strongest of the five, 'Down And Dirty', sounds like Forever The Sickest Kids after several Red Bull crates thrown into the mix. Yet, by the concluding tracks the band sound like a paranoid replica of Papa Roach, via Escape The Fate. Obviously disregarding Hollywood Lies as a mere replica of these bands is a tad harsh, as the band can clearly write a catchy song deriving influences from various niches. The problem is, in such a short release, consistency is paramount. The tracks on offer are all solid (apart from 'E.A.S.T' which has about 300 cliches too many) but, when genres are discounted, the resulting product is more schizophrenic than experimental. In reality, this could have been a compilation of two or three bands, rather than the one on offer.

The band are clearly best when at their poppiest. So after such a strong opening, it's?disappointing?to see the sound derailed by something so average. As a collection of songs the release is fine, equally, as a showcase of the band's diversity is also suffices. Yet, as an?actual?release, it all seems too contrived, while some songs should really have been left in demo form, at the drawing board.

The real task awaiting Hollywood Lies, is to find a sound, and stick to it. Defining a sound is no easy task for any band, but on the premise of this release, potential is there. Unfortunately, potential counts for nothing, and in reality, there are plenty of bands doing similar things equally as well. Hollywood Lies really need to up their game if they are to avoid falling behind, into the mire of obscurity.?

All too often bands are?criticised?for playing it safe, and keeping with a winning formula. Based on this effort though, Hollywood Lies have yet to find theirs.

2/5

Hollywood Lies on MySpace

Chris Powers