Stereomud: Perfect Self : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

These goateed hard rockers bring the usual noise on their debut, peddling senseless angst and chugga-chugga guitar riffs to America's lunk-headed masses. Cut from the same patch of baggy denim as Godsmack and Disturbed, Stereomud occasionally manage to compensate for their lack of originality with some memorable choruses. Producers Don Gilmore (Lit, Linkin Park) and Rick Parashar (Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains) add the radio gloss to "Pain" and "Steppin' Away," the former a cathartic keeper that highlights James Hetfield's influence on singer Erik Rogers. When the members of Stereomud break out with the string-laden title cut, they actually show a sensitive side. But that's too little, too late after hearing these hurt merchants glue so much bleak foreboding ("Down From Here") and alienation ("Don't Be Afraid") to so many tedious music beds. But don't say you weren't warned: The first line of the opening "Leave (Back Up)," admits "this won't be what you want to hear" -- a mostly accurate assessment of Perfect Self.

JOHN D. LUERSSEN
(May 29, 2001)