CD Review of...
Billy Talent
Atlantic Records
By: Kiki Alexander
Why would she put me through such torture
I would have given my life for her
She was the one that knocked me over
Now I'm alone sitting on the corner. -The Ex
I’ll admit, at first it’s hard not to think that this Toronto punk rock foursome, Billy Talent, is just another hopeful cut-N-paste punk band whining about ex-girlfriends and drugs. And while they do and they do it’s all done quite well with the fast paced momentum you have come to expect from the hyper-emotional youth that makes for great angst rock. Though they haven’t made it quite as far as their peers in the business they are definitely worth a look. Teetering on the edge of hardcore and blissfully catchy, Billy Talent is much more than a little of both on their self-titled debut. They seem to have captured the true spirit of punk that we’ve lost since the birth of pop bands hiding behind the punk label.
The members (with absolutely unpronounceable last names)—Aaron Solowoniuk-drums, Benjamin Kowalewicz-vocals, Jon Gallant-bassist, and Ian D’sa on guitar—are so precise in their craft. Fitting the pieces together obsessively until their sound is scarily perfect you realize this is no act at all. They truly have a passion for what they’re doing as real artists. And for that you must give them some respect. Although their music is mostly brash they disprove me once again by revealing their softer sound such as the aforementioned and quoted, The Ex, which makes for an enjoyable, balanced album.
Yep, so I was wrong. Underneath it all—the black converse, lyrics that end in exclamation marks and comparisons to The Buzzcocks—Billy Talent’s just a bunch of kids from Canada doing what they know best. Making good punk-rock music straight from the source, no strings attached.