By
Adam Pugh
Flying Blind
Push
(Universal/Republic Records)
Grade: D+
Despite being known for its great music scene and popular bands, California has never given birth to anything quite as grotesque as Flying Blind.
Straight out of Hughson, Calif., a place seemingly desperate for good music, Flying Blind's major debut Push thrust the band into the local spotlight. With its self-proclaimed hit "Smokescreen," the band has had some limited success in its hometown. Despite this fluke, the band will have a harder time elevating to similar heights on a national scale with its meager musical offerings.
The album itself is a mass confusion of different genres of music - starting off with the pop-rock tune "Pony" then abruptly changing to a doo-wop sound on "Smokescreen." As the album progresses, it is clear the band does not really understand what kind of music it is playing. This is even more apparent with the use of overdone ska-rhythms on the track "Somebody Else."
The lyrics - by far the band's greatest weakness - will make any listener wonder why Flying Blind has had any success at all.
"You look so cool riding on your pony/going up and down my street all day," from "Pony." Terrible.
"She only likes me when I'm high," from "Smokescreen." Honestly, the world needs another love song about being high like it needs another PokŽmon card game.
The only explanation must be that Push contains a subliminal message which has forced people to listen to the album over and over again. Regardless, it should never torture anyone's ears again. It is only fitting that such a perfect name would be chosen for a band who is obviously "flying blind."
