Puddle Of Mudd - Famous (2007) (6,5/10)

After the departure of drummer Greg Upchurch and guitar player Paul Phillips, PUDDLE OF MUDD went through quite hard times and apart of a few concerts here and there in the United States of America, there weren't too many news from the band. I was even expecting that they were about to split up when the release of a new EP called "Famous" was announced for May 2007. A record called "Livin' On Borrowed Time" should have followed during the summer. Finally, the release date was pushed back to October and the record was finally entitled "Famous." Four years after the groundbreaking dark ride "Life On Display," PUDDLE OF MUDD were finally back again.

After the departure of two band members, the band played several concerts with a new drummer called Mark 'Moke' Bistany and guitar player Jimmy Allen who has already been in PUDDLE OF MUDD when they released their first record "Stuck" back in 1994. Both new members though left again and one can hear drummer Ryan Yerdon and guitar player Christian Stone on this release.

The release of this record was almost as chaotic as the line-up changes. The album was in its finishing stages in early 2007 but some changes were then brought in and the release date was pushed back several times. Apart of the band itself, a total of nine producers were involved in the final version of the record and a total of 80 songs were reduced to 11 album tracks and three bonus songs. Soon after the release, band leader Wesley Reid Scantlin regretted the final version and said that he would have preferred the first version that was ready to be released in early 2007. One of his very favourite tracks, "Cast Away," only made it as a Best Buy bonus song.

Despite all these problems, the record is still a very solid one even if it comes as a deception after the amazing "Life On Display." This album is much more Alternative Rock orientated and includes many short, polished and commercial tracks like "We Don't Have To Look Back Now" and "Radiate" that don't come close to previous ballads like "Blurry" or "Think." The kitsch orientated "It Was Faith" which has an undeniable catchy side but nothing to do with earlier PUDDLE OF MUDD was even co-written by Kara Elizabeth DioGuardi who normally collaborates with CÉLINE DION and KELLY CLARKSON.

Despite these radical changes, there are still a couple of songs on here that rock and remind of the band's earlier works. The energizing opener "Famous" is a catchy Hard Rock anthem that criticizes the stereotypical Rock star image just like NICKELBACK's "Rockstar" for example. The melancholic "Moonshine" and the experimental Grunge revival "I'm So Sure" with its dark chorus and its weird spoken word introduction please me even more and can be cited as highlights on this record.

The hit single and album highlight is though the catchy "Psycho" that was written a while ago and that includes a video clip reminding of the settings of Alfred Hitchcock's legendary 'Psycho'  that includes also a funny pun against Paris Hilton. This song shows us the modern and commercial face of the band but includes the bitter lyrics and the energizing attitude of the past as well. This mixture works very well and this track brought the band back on the radar as it entered the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and the Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks as number one.

In the end, the band's third major lable release is a quite weird and inconsistent album. It includes many great tracks like "Psycho," "I'm So Sure," "Moonshine," and "Famous," but also a couple of commercial songs somewhere between NICKELBACK and BACKSTREET BOYS. A true fan should still get his hands on this release but it's definitely less essential and a step down from what the band has done before. At least, PUDDLE OF MUDD are back again and for a new start this release isn't all too bad.

(Online July 24, 2013)