Scars on Broadway "Scars on Broadway"

Music Review: Scars on Broadway “Scars on Broadway”

By Dr. Monkey • July 29, 2008

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Serious
Funny
Exploding/Reloading
Stoner Hate
Insane
World Long Gone
Kill Each Other
Babylon
Chemicals
Universe
3005
Cute Machines
Whoring Streets
They Say

Official Bar Score:

Followings System of a Down’s double release Mezmerzie and Hypnotize I was somewhat torn. While Mezmerize was pretty awesome and insanely catchy, Hypnotize seemed a little lacking almost as if it was rushed just for the sake of getting two albums out. I still say that had they cut the two albums down into about a twenty track album (a lot of the songs are short so it’d work fine) the album could have been classic, instead there was a lot of clutter in between some really great tracks.

Needless to say when I heard that the band was taking a hiatus while I was disappointed to have to wait for a new SOAD album I ultimately thought that maybe this could help spark some new creative juices for the members of the band.

First out of the gate was the solo album from lead vocalist Serj entitled “Elect the Dead.” While the album wasn’t bad at all, I’d be lying if I said the disc wasn’t a disappointment.

Now comes Scars on Broadway the disc that features SOAD guitarist and secondary vocalist (though he sings a lot of lead vocals with SOAD now as well) Daron Malkian and SOAD drummer John Dolmayan. While John handles the drums of course, Daron handles all vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, etc.

What Scars delivers is an album of just outright catchy rock songs, to put it simply. This album features some songs that are fast and furious, others that are slow, but the reoccurring theme is that you can’t help but tap your foot and hum along to every song.

The lyrics are short and repetitive but done so in a matter that they are bound to get stuck in your head right away on first listen. While he may not be praised for lyrical genius anytime soon you can not deny the fact that you know the words to the song after the first listen. At the same time since the songs aren’t dragged out (one of the problems with Serj’s disc) it doesn’t come off as overkill.

As for content, the album is all over the place just as you’d expect. From drugs references, to the end of the world, to simple life observations.

Scars on Broadway have produced an album that is gonna be tough to top this year in terms of sheer “catchiness” alone. I mean the main point of an album is to get the songs to stick in your head and make you want to listen to the album, and Scars have done just that.

Here’s the lead single off the album “They Say”