Let me say firstly, that this is not a bad Staind album. In fact, it's not really a bad album. It's just ultimately forgettable, which in today's standards makes this by definition a bad album. Out of the nu-metal movement of the early part of the decade, Staind stood apart from their peers (Korn, Limp Bizkit, Sevendust, Mudvayne, Slipknot, etc.) due in part to their attention to melody and Aaron Lewis' soaring vocals. With "Break the Cycle", Staind came into their own with a solid rock album that seemed to define what the genre could be accomplish. Due to the success of a ballad on that album, "It's Been Awhile", the band explored that melodic tone on their follow-up album. "14 Shades of Grey" was met with criticism that the band had sold out, and that it was a bit of a pop record. If people were miffed that "14 Shades of Grey" was a pop record, they must be furious with Staind's next two efforts, as they continue along the same path of safe, ballard oriented, power chord soul-searching songs.
I find it a bit funny that often pop-punk bands like Weezer and Fall Out Boy are more readily associated with the "emo" movement than others. What's "emo" about "The Good Life"?. If the "emo" music style is defined by self-absorbed, nihilistic, suicidal ideation, Hamlet-esque attitude, then... look no further, skinny-jean wearing emo kid! Aaron Lewis is your poster boy. Let's compare lyrics: "It's been a year or two since I was out on the floor, shaking booty making sweet love all the night" (Weezer's "The Good Life") to "I'm getting sick of this, The end is near, I'm in the thick of it, And i'll be there soon, If you can handle it" (Staind's "Save Me") Which one is "emo"?
How many times in this band's career has Aaron Lewis used the word apathy in a song? I didn't even try, and I found three immediate references: "Price To Play", "Break Away" and "Take This". Listen, Guys resident musical charity case, Lil' D, said to me one time, "Somebody needs to give that guy a f*****g hug."
All Lewis-bashing aside, I think I should accentuate the positives on this record, because there are definitely no positives in the lyrics. Literally. This album is as bleak and personal as it gets. The production is excellent, as would be expected. The musicianship, while competent, is not inspiring. There was was one song on "14 Shades of Grey" that soared, musically, which was "So Far Away", but not on this album. The attempts to do so are heavy-handed, as exemplified in the "The Corner", with its gospel choir chorus and improvised runs from studio vocalists.
There is no growth from the band, or from Lewis, on this album, which is why the title is so fitting. Many people think that a band grows with each album, but Staind is an example of a band that will not do so, and appears to be proud of it. One of Lil' D's biggest criticisms of Pearl Jam is that they are "not the same band" or "not as good as they used to be". Well, you know what happens when a band doesn't grow, when a band doesn't experiment, or when a band rests on its laurels and continues to make the same music for six albums straight? You get "The Illusion of Progress". Literally.
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