Chevelle – Sci-Fi Crimes

Back when I first really started seriously listening to music I used to tune in to my local rock radio station and listen to the same mainstream rock singles in constant rotation.  Whatever the music director promoted I lapped up lovingly like a kitten taking to a warm bowl of milk.  In short, I was a mindless music consumer with very little exposure to anything but what the bigwigs pushed upon me.  Nickelback,Sloan, The Strokes – all mediocre bands I’ll admit to enjoying in the past.

But then there was Chevelle.  Shortly after Chevelle made their big radio debut and all the DJs began pushing them on their listener base, I started realizing the formulaic and predicable nature plaguing radio-rock.  In fact, Chevelle might have been the first radio-rock group I found really, really boring.  Looking back, they’re certainly far from the bottom of the barrel, but at the same time the band doesn’t have a lot to call their own.  And their latest album, Sci-Fi Crimes, hasn’t done much to change my opinion.

The problem stems from comparing Chevelle with their peers.  Their most cited reference point can be found in twisted dark rockers Tool.  Chevelle feeds off of the same dark and chaotic aura Tool helped pioneer back in the 90’s, but ultimately feels like a watered down adaptation.  Sure, they draw upon the same thick and heavy chords for their core, but unlike Tool’s unpredictable song structure and continually shifting tempos, Chevelle exists within a very narrow range.  I feel like I’ve heard this all before and with far more personality.

Speaking of which, Sci-Fi Crimes comes riddled with generic attempts at sounding profound.  The band tries loosely binding the album together under the broad science fiction umbrella but seldom takes advantage of the subject matter.  At best we’re left with vague references to the Roswell incident, and over-asked questions about societal consciousness like “does anybody really see anyone?”  Not once did I feel cognitively engaged or inspired to curiosity.

Chevelle’s one saving grace lies with vocalist Pete Loeffer.  Garnering obvious comparisons with Tool’s Maynard James Keenan, Loeffer boasts remarkable vocal control and a passionate and varied tone.  But as with any frontman, he’s only as good as the music surrounding him.  Subsequently, when Chevelle lands on an interesting melody, Loeffer flourishes.  Sadly only the final track, “The Circus,” truly presents such an opportunity.

As far as I can tell, Chevelle hasn’t changed much since their original mainstream introduction.  They’re still playing it safe with the same old familiar radio-rock that put them on the map over ten years ago.  At best Sci-Fi Crimes is a safe listen, and at worst, it’s boring.  So if Chevelle hasn’t done anything for you in the past, I doubt Sci-Fi Crimes will change that.