Reviewed by:
mattant250, on july 21, 2009
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Sound: If you didn't already know, Pezz is the name under which Billy Talent were known before they became Billy Talent. If you listen to this album (Watoosh!), and then listen to a couple of songs from the more modern Billy Talent, you will recognise some undeniable similarities (the unique vocals of Ben, for example). However, the most obvious thing that will hit you is the large gulf between Pezz's style of music and Billy Talent's style of music. I have always seen Pezz as a cross between Punk and Ska music. The base on which Billy Talent started is there, however, it is clear that there is a lot of youth and immaturity there at this stage.
This, however, is not a bad thing. In fact, it is quite the opposite. I don't dislike any of the songs on the album, and many of the tracks are quite catchy and definitely enjoyable. It is definitely a raw sound and can definitely sound quite amateurish, but the quality of the music is definitely there. I'll admit, I heard a few of the songs off Watoosh!, and I was immediately disappointed by it. But, over time it has grown on me. The album can go from the dark aggressive M & M, to the playful Nita to the fast, whirlwind sounds in When I Was A Little Girl and New Orleans Is Sinking. // 8
Lyrics and Singing: I often notice on albums that there is a definite lack of imagination in the lyrics, and some even are scared of doing something different. This is certainly not the case on Watoosh!. Lines such as 'Dont you wish your hear was made of glue?' and 'I reach into my bag of tricks, and then I'll pull out a hand grenade' only emphasise this point. The lyrics are generally humorous on this album, and I often find myself chuckling at the lyrics, and the simple, but effective meaning to them.
Ben's singing is much the same as it is with Billy Talent, however, it is much more medolic, and there is a lack of a punk sound to his voice. He shows his strengths and weaknesses, vocally in this album, but overall, his vocals are fantastic. A large feature of Billy Talent's music, is Ian D'Sa's backing vocals. In Watoosh!, there is definitely backing vocals, but they don't have such a prominent role in this album, and in my opinion this a huge loss. Nevertheless, his vocals do compliment Ben beautifully, and add another dimension to the music. // 8
Impression: I'll go through each song one by one, and review them that way:
01.M & M: this is the perfect start to the album. It has incredibly dark lyrics, and at the same time is very catchy. Everything is in the right place, and it is probably one of my favourites on the album. 9/10
02.Fairytale: musically, this is a very punky song, and it allows Ian to show off his guitar skills perfectly. About half way through it breaks off into a melodic piece of music and becomes slightly like a ballad, but the punk sound soon returns. 9/10
03.Nita: when I first heard this, I hated it. However, this defines the Ska side of this album. The verse seems very easy to listen to and then you are thrown into a barrage of noise for the chorus, before returning to the melodic, ska sound. 8/10
04.Mother's Native Instrument: I have absolutely no idea what this song is about, I don't know whether it's meant to make any sense, but it is very much a song, which sticks into your head. 8/10
05.Bird In The Basement: I love this song, because the guitar work is fantastic, but simple. The structure in the song is good, and the whole band shows how well they blend together. They all compliment eachother and this song is probably the most flowing song of the album. 9/10
06.Recap: I find this song boring, and it seems to just drag on. It's OK, but nothing to write home about. 6/10
07.When I Was A Little Girl: Billy Talent redid this for Billy Talent I, and improved the quality of the song, but this is still a fantastic song. It shows the punk foundation of the band, and is overall the best song of the album. 10/10
08.Warmth Of Windows: I like this song. It's very easy to listen to and has great guitar riffs in it. This song also shows the strength of the bass and drums of the band, and the vocals are great too. 9/10
09.Sqaure Root Of Me: I'm not sure about this song. It's good, but seems a bit bland and empty. 7/10
10.Absorbed: a return to the ska genre. It is a very long song though, and does drag on a bit. However, it is still very good, and the music is enjoyable. 8/10
11.Silence: a filler consisting of just keyboard, and lasting 15 seconds, before another 15 seconds of silence, hence the name.
12.New Orleans Is Sinking: a cover of the Tragically Hip version. Naturally, the Tragically Hip version is better, but this makes it a lot more punk and has a consistent drum beat all the way through. 9/10
They also produced another song around about this time, but it was never released on Watoosh!. I see this song as the transition between Pezz and Billy Talent, as it has elements of both bands.
Beach Balls - excellent song. By far the best by Pezz, and the overall quality of the instruments, vocals, and lyrics are brilliant. 10/10 // 9
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