Billy’s Talents

SteveK thinks the title of this review is self-explanatory

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Billy Talent: Billy Talent III

One of the neat things about reviewing music professionally is that you occasionally get to hear the hot new releases before the album drops. Granted, in the Internet Age the truth is that often EVERYBODY gets to hear the hot new releases before the album actually drops.

Nevertheless, it’s been a little while now that I’ve been listening to the new Billy Talent. It’s a great post-Grunge Rock album, with all the right elements in all the right proportions: Verse-hook-chorus-verse structure, treble-charged guitar, muted bass and throaty, loud Anthem Rock vocals belting out grim, poetic lyrics.

This album should cement Billy Talent’s status as a driving force in Pop-Rock, and prove to the world that Canadian Rock music is not limited to pretentious light-weights like Nickleback. Though they’ve gradually begun getting notice overseas, they are still often eclipsed by other, lesser acts.

Having listened to its gritty, raw music, getting swept up in songs like “Rusted From The Rain”, “Saint Veronika”, the mournful “White Sparrows” or the powerful storytelling of “The Dead Can’t Testify”, and the rest of the 11 tracks on the album, I feel qualified to say that ‘Billy Talent: III’ is going to be one of this year’s hottest releases; do yourself a solid, and pick it up as soon as you can.

Billy Talent: Billy Talent III

Atlantic

Steve’s Rating: 9/10

Release Date: July 14 (Canada) September 22 (USA)

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