Buckcherry, ‘Confessions’ – Album Review

When envisioning new music from Buckcherry, you know there'll be some foot-stomping, high-energy songs, typically about partying, women and heartbreak -- all delivered by singer Josh Todd's perfectly rock-weathered voice. On their new 'Confessions' album, they definitely have some of those touchtones, but that being said, Buckcherry also deserve a great deal of credit for delivering a well thought out concept album.

This 13-track collection fits right in with Buckcherry's past work, but also takes things a step beyond with Todd opening up and taking a more honest approach to the music, using the seven deadly sins as a guide. By now, fans have heard the straight-up rocker and lead single 'Gluttony' that opens the album. The ADD-like chorus of "I want it's" and "I need it's" is ready made for the concert stage, but also sets the stage for Todd's life analysis throughout the disc.

'Gluttony's counterpart could be 'Greed,' where the vocalist sings, "I don't care cause I want it bad / The consequences don't f---ing matter / Greed is here so everyone's going mad." 'Envy' finds the singer lamenting his obsession with someone else's woman, while 'Lust' is just an unbridled rocker toward the end of the album that's exactly what the title says. But while these songs play to the baser instincts, Buckcherry also address the reflection and consequences that come with that.

In the bluesy, mid-tempo rocker 'Wrath,' Todd laments, "Hey man, do you study history? / Are you ready for World War III? / Please pray for me, father." With 'The Truth,' potentially the album's big ballad single, the vocalist takes an honest approach with a loved one proclaiming that every time he goes or every time he falls, they can see right through him.

On 'Pride,' one of the album's more polarizing tracks, Todd offers up reflective nuggets like, "How long will I still have to wait / How long will it take to get there / How long will all this take / What happens after we get there?" and "I'll go without nothing else but bullets in my pride."

The back-end of the album is where the band really hits its stride, beginning with the foot-stomping 'Seven Ways to Die,' the driving rocker 'Air,' the album's most theatrical track 'Sloth,' complete with call-and-response guitar play from Keith Nelson and Stevie D., and the preacher-like reflection of Todd on 'Pride.' It all culminates with the acoustic ballad 'Dreamin' of You,' which wraps up this disc on a positive high note.

All in all, Buckcherry's 'Confessions' will definitely rock you, but this time around there's a little bit more scenery to take in during the ride.