Days of the New

Louisville rock trio Days of the New returns to the fold with its newest self-titled album. The band has two previous self-titled albums (released in 1999 and 1997). \nHey guys, perhaps it's time to put a little thought into a new album title?\nTo hear the groups latest effort, one might think it is the vanity project of a widely regarded solo artist, which lead singer Travis Meeks seems to think himself. \nAfter breaking through with his debut, Meeks canned his high school chums Matt Taul (drums) and Jesse Vest (bass) in favor of a "tighter" unit. This came in the form of bassist Mike Huettig and drummer Ray Rizzo; these guys look and sound like a bunch of Pearl Jam posers. \nEarth to Days of the New: It isn't 1993 and you're not from Seattle.\nDays of the New reeks of pretentiousness. That's not to say the album's horrible, it's just a tad derivative, and Meeks' somber "look how badly my rock star life sucks" rants grow tired quickly.\nDespite these problems, this critic has to give credit where credit is due -- Meeks is tough. He has infused Days of the New with a bombastic and almost entirely too rich sound; songs layer complex orchestral arrangements atop middle-eastern instrumentals atop Meeks' Morrison-esque yelping and howling. He even goes so far as to rip off John Williams' "Imperial March" (Darth Vader's Theme) from George Lucas' "Star Wars" flicks during the inspired "Dirty Road." It's admirable for a band and a young artist such as Meeks to bite off more than they can chew, but it doesn't always make for a great listening experience.\nThe disc reaches its stride in a few places; the album's single "Hang on to This," the cheerily titled "Die Born" and the genuinely rocking "Where Are You?" all register particularly well. These tracks give listeners a glimpse into Days of the New's potential that may be reached in future efforts.