SUM 41 - CHUCK

After playing around in the jungle for a couple months, Sum 41 are back with their new album 'Chuck'. After disappointing sales from the last record 'Does this look infected?', the pressure is certainly on the backs of these still very young chaps from Canada.

It's just as well then that 'Chuck' is their finest effort to date seeing a more raw and heavy side to Sum 41 as we know them. Tracks like 'No Reason' and We're All To Blame' could almost be described as metal. They take us from brutality to melody and back and with a ballads like 'Slipping Away', this album has got almost everything. 'I'm Not The One' is likely to be a big hit if released as a single and 'Welcome to Hell' sounds almost like an Offspring song. There are a million influences and a million hooks and for the first couple of listens, it's quite hard to tell where the songs are actually going. Some songs such as 'Subject to change' could almost be described as progressive it has so many sections. The only criticism is that there are a couple of 'fillers' on here and had they dropped these then it would be complete.

This is the best Sum 41 record in the catalogue. Now with a heavier darker side and a more thoughtful approach to lyrics, they have matured from pop punk kids to professionals. Try and grab this one - it's worth every penny.

 9/10

reviewed by Phil Storey