Black Stone CherryThere are some redeeming features. The Kentucky four-piece bend their vocals into an almost Chris Cornell-like upper register warble; it's immediately jarring alongside snappy bass and buzzing guitars on time-changing opener Holding On… To Letting Go, but it's not long before those half-thought-out lyrical motifs from the likes of Nickelback start creeping in. Harsh, but fair, especially on Blow My Mind – “Come blow my mind/Come on baby give it one more try” – while Me And Mary Jane, yes, revels in references and metaphors galore. Harmless stuff, but that's really not what one's aiming for, is it?
