The Successful Failures - Wrong Together

 

We are long time fans of Trenton New Jersey's The Successful Failures and I've remarked before that Mick Chorba's writing is never less than interesting. I talk about versatility and there is no greater example than here, but I do think that it has held the band back a tad in the past.

How do you define a quartet that are equally at home with Americana, Noise Rock, Power Pop, New Wave, 70's Pop Rock, Country and even Pop Punk? The answer is you don't try. but that still doesn't help listeners who hear their first song and the second is nothing like it. Thankfully, Digital and FM Stations have picked up on them at last.

This variation is in their DNA and finally people have realised that what you do is listen to the whole album and choose which suit your show or a listener's mood. I am a massive advocate of listening to albums all the way through, a thing too many don't do, particularly some reviewers. I mean I can't count how many times that I read PR and it is nothing at all like the music, yet people print it verbatim.

I have to admit that my favourite Successful Failures song is one that they crash in on and this time's example is The Worst Of Our Kind. You want Rock you've got it and they even manage to slow it down to gradually let it blast again.

They become outlaws on Kings From Italy. yet All I Really Want is a lesser seen ballad, a little Southern, yet at the same time almost a Doo Wop Song. Learning What Is To Be Free is a sort of Campfire altogether, unusually gentle, but highly effective and includin a whistle.

The closer though revives that Chorba growl and adds a killer melodic solo. Kids Of Queens adds a twang, but has a rhythm not a million miles away from Glam Rock. Millions Of People, the lead single, still grabs every time with that riff.

New City is even very R.E.M. vocally and what a solo!. This does feel a more gentler softer album than times gone past. It also works because of that. Chorba's lyric writing is as spot on as ever. Few write songs similar to him and the band are as ace as ever. Highly Recommended as is all of the back catalogue.

You can listen to and buy the album here. There is also a fab Substack Page here.

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