NMC # 186 HURTSMILE/WORK OF ART

[RJhog (Admin)]

I have two new releases for you to ponder.  The first is Retrogrenade from Hurtsmile, Gary Cherone's par time job when he's not in Van Halen.  Oh, wait a minute, I mean Extreme.  The band also includes Gary's brother Mark on guitar.  What you have with Hurtsmile's second album is just good rock and roll music.  Different styles throughout are present, but I just picked five up tempo songs.  The album does feature a couple of really good ballads as well.  

Next you have the third album from Work Of Art.  I'll post the editorial review from Amazon to give you a bit of insight into the band that you may not be familiar with:

Do you delight in soaring melodies, heavenly hooklines and technical musical ability to die for? Then Work Of Art has it all for you! Influences like TOTO, Journey and Giant can be easily recognized in their sound, but if the debut album ARTWORK showed that the band was trying to find its way, then follow up, IN PROGRESS showed three guys who had matured a lot in their abilities and who have gelled as a band in a very natural way. FRAMEWORK is their third album and the ultimate testament to the fact that classic AOR Music is still alive and well, even from a younger generation!

I've been thinking about picking something up from WOA for a while, and this is the one that finally made it into my music collection.  Money not wasted.  So form your own opinion.  And remember, as always, get out and buy some new music, whether it be these discs or something else.  We have to support these artists if we expect them to continue making music.

Hurtsmile - Retrogrenade (2014)

1. Rock & Roll Cliche (Explicit)

2. Big Government

3. Anymore (Don't Want My Love)

4. Walk Away

5. Pump It Up

Work Of Art - Framework (2014)

6. Time To Let Go

7. Shout 'Till You Wake Up

8. How Do You Sleep At Night?

9. Natalie

10. My Waking Dream

[Gordon Williams]

Liking the Hurtsmile, and it's definitely under consideration for purchase. Work Of Art is a little too keyboardy for me, and it gives me that 80's pop band feel. Seems like the Hurtsmile features more lead guitar than their debut, and that's a good thing. Thanks for posting.

[RJhog (Admin)]

That's about what I thought you'd say.  Since WOA has been compared to Toto, I knew it wouldn't be up your alley.  The Hurtsmile is really good.  Only one filler track on the whole CD if you ask me.

[Gordon Williams]

I'd be willing to bet a million bucks that my local Best Buy will not have the Hurtsmile. I liked their debut, and I like what you've posted here. Based on the tracks posted, I'm guessing this new one is even better than the first one.

[RJhog (Admin)]

You are right, I'm sure, about BB.  I got it from Amazon.  And I think it's better than the first one.  Just an opinion though.

[Scott]

HURTSMILE ... Two Thumbs 3/4 up

I still don't quite understand how he didn't work out in Van Halen, still seems to me like it should have been a good fit.  Obviously hindsight is 20/20, but I just don't get how they can write such great stuff outside of the band but when they came together we got VH III crap...  Oh well...  This is not too bad, definitely not purchase material for me, but a fine listen - Walk Away and Pump It Up being the best of the 5.

[Jon]

Hurtsmile--Thumbs 3/4 up

Gary sounded like Sammy on the first song. The next two songs sounded like Extreme with the second song sounding like funky Extreme. The fourth song was ok, really nothing special and the last song is a cover, but it's not bad (for a cover song). Don't think this warrants a purchase, I just can't see me revisiting this often. We shall see.

[Jon]

Work Of Art--Thumbs in the middle

This was kind of boring. Really no hooks at all. It definitely sounds like something from the 80's, but it sounds like something from the 80's I wouldn't have given much thought to. Sometimes it sounded like the keyboards were TOO prevalent, almost like they were ruining the song. It's not horrible, but it's something that plays and you immediately forget when it's over. 

[Scott]

WORK OF ART ... Two Thumbs even

Real strong 80's vibe on this one.  Think Journey's "Be Good To Yourself".  Now, in my mind that's a lofty expectation, but this doesn't quite measure up just reminiscent...  Shout Til You Wake Up had moments but ultimately fell flat, and so the story goes.  This wasn't bad, it just wasn't memorable.  Its clearly a period piece.  Not terrible, not great = not a purchase