This cure works well
Northern Ireland noisey rock trio Therapy? (who are guitarist/vocalist Andrew Cairns, bassist Michael McKeegan and drummer Neil Cooper) have just released their 11th studio album since forming in 1989. They are a band who have managed to survive through the various musical trends and fads that have come and gone in that time, and although some of their material has been a little hit and miss, they are finding their step with their latest effort One Cure Fits All.
Therapy? move to confuse with their intro track, titled Outro, which serves little purpose before the massive sounding Sprung butts hi-hat dominated verses against ringing wide-open choruses gets the album off to a flying start. There’s also no shortage of crunchy guitars and harmonics around Deluded Son’s rolling rhythms during the verses whilst it too delivers a huge memorable chorus. The rockin’ pair of Into The Light and Lose It All are a pigeon pair of happiness and sadness respectively whereas the album’s first real change of pace and style comes in the form of the slower melody of Dopamine, Seratonin, Adrenaline and the soft, almost delicate Unconsoled, both of which show somewhat of a more delicate side to what Therapy? is capable of.
Our White Noise doesn’t raise a lot that makes it shine and the same could be said about the straight forward and repetitive Rain Hits Concrete and the latter track Heart Beat Hits as well. Private Nobody delivers noise laden verses and a straight up chord heavy chorus, not too unlike Fear Of God which is another rolling thunder of a track with thick guitars and a distinct Therapy? edge to it. Walk Through Darkness wraps it all up with no shortage of variety throughout that brings the album to close in a fine way.
What a difference a couple of years make. Compared to their previous effort, Never Apologise Never Explain, One Cure Fits All is superior in every way. The balance of variety within the mature song writing evident here that still maintains the band’s distinct edge works for Therapy’s latest release in every way. Sure there are still a couple of less than impressive moments on here, but on the whole, One Cure Fits All is a solid effort.
(Spitfire Records/Riot! Distribution)
