Description
Rare original Malaysian perssing on Universal Music Sdn. Bhd with the last track, Noots, listed on the back cover compared to several other pressings where its a hidden, not listed, bonus track.
In June 2004, Sum 41 was in Congo filming a documentary for charity when they found themselves caught in the midst of the country’s ongoing hostilities. But a UN aid worker named Chuck Pelletier was instrumental in getting the band to safety, and a grateful Sum 41 named their fourth album in his honor. As they say in their liners, Without him, we’d be dead. Chuck rules!. The experience also seems to have mellowed the group’s sarcastic streak. From its aggressive metal and hardcore overtones to lyrics that rail against societal ignorance and a world gone wrong, Chuck is a few steps ahead of the smirking, jocular anthems that populated Sum 41’s previous output. This suddenly sober outlook hasn’t lessened the rock power, though. Why is there no reason we all can’t change? Deryck Whibley wonders in No Reason, but the cut also binds the rapid-fire pace of hardcore to a great chorus hook. Lead single We’re All to Blame lashes out at greed with some vicious metal riffing, Bitter End takes its cues from the double-bass kicks and furious lead solos of Anthrax, and There’s No Solution’s layered vocals, psychological fretting, and explosive chorus shift give it a Linkin Park feel. Sum 41 also avoids employing too many serious add-ons, such as string sections or synthesizers. Chuck does have a few passages of acoustic guitar (most effectively on the low-key Slipping Away). But like Sum 41’s previous efforts, it’s a concise album that clocks in at just over a half-hour, with a basic understanding that fast and loud is what the band does best. But this time around, Sum 41 has made sure to set its message at the same high volume.
Track list:
1. Intro
2. No Reason
3. We’re All To Blame
4. Angels With Dirty Faces
5. Some Say
6. The Bitter End
7. Open Your Eyes
8. Slipping Away
9. I’m Not The One
10. Welcome To Hell
11. Pieces
12. There’s No Solution
13. 88
14. Noots