Sum 41 - Underclass Hero

Still trying to get back on their feet

After taking the pop-punk formula to the politcal/hardcore style that they saw on their last two records and then, suddenly losing a guitarist, you already know when you buy this CD, before you open it up or play any of the tracks, that it's not gonna sound like "Chuck." It's not gonna sound like "Does This Look Infected?" Chances, are, it won't even sound like "Half Hour of Power" or "All Killer," this is a new band.

Well, it is a new band. It's definitely not as good as the old Sum we used to love, whether that had before or after the dividing line that was "Fat Lip" This is the bands worst CD, even if it was their most valiant effort.

The first thing that comes to mind is that without Dave, all the metal/hardcore/whatever influence is gone, it's back to the poppy-punk and it's more on the poppy side. The first couple tracks almost sounds like a return to form, except after that it regresses into ballads and we realize that this is not the case.

The CD has it's moments. There are catchy guitar lines here and there from Deryck and Cone stepped it up to make up for the lack of a second guitarist (even though some of the songs are still recorded with 2 guitars). Cone's backup vocals are a new twist to the CD and I actually like them a lot. They should have utilized him earlier.

Biggest problem, too many ballads, too many slow songs, makes this CD relatively boring. This CD would have been a great EP if it had consisted only of "Underclass Hero" "Count Your Last Blessings" "March of the Dogs" "The Jester" "King of Contradiction" and "Confusion and Frustration in Modern Times" Everything else is skipable but those songs are truly amazing. We can tell that Sum 41 is still here, burried in the rubble of all the drama and bull. I wouldn't be surprised if they rose to the occasion a few years from now and put out a truly outstanding CD, but for now they're still trying to construct that old fasion Sum sound without Dave, they'll get there, but they're not there yet.

All the die hard Sum 41 fans will find this touching, anybody else, stick with any of the other 4 CDs. May 1, 2008

Out of sight, out of mind, I don't know if It's for sure...

You will most likely agree with this review if:

a) You consider All Killer No Filler to be their best album (even though I don't)
b) You hate bands like Fall Out Boy and Dragonforce
c) You think Chuck is their worst album
d) you hate almost every mainstream band out there

Sure the cover of the album is bowling-shoe ugly, but die hard fans of S41 will undoubtably LOVE this album. Unless you've been living under a rock for the last bit of time, you'd realize that they lost a member.

UCH is the fifth Sum 41 studio album. As I was expecting it to be better than Chuck, it was, but that's not saying much. This album was pretty interesting, but nothing to get hyped up over. The verdict on the songs:

UNDERCLASS HERO: 10/10: A song that really sounds like their AKNF stuff. Good work guys.

WALKING DISASTER: 8/10: Good, catchy song.

SPEAK OF THE DEVIL: 5/10: Killer musicianship, filler lyrics.

DEAF FATHER (COMPLETE UNKNOWN): 4/10: A whiny song by Deryck about his dad...

COUNT YOUR LAST BLESSINGS: 2/10: The chorus is 90% of the reason why people call Sum 41 "emo" nowadays. Really, just some lame and depressing song about some kid not having friends.

MA POUBELLE: 0/10: Deryck attempts to sing in French in this song... what else needs to be said.

MARCH OF THE DOGS: 8/10: Despite being an Anti-Flag and Green Day ripoff, still is a great song.

THE JESTER: 10/10: The best song on the album, and the only song that manages to score a 10/10.

WITH ME: 7/10: Good song, great lyrics.

PULL THE CURTAIN: 6/10: Gah. They're doing something wierd with this one. Good first half, the second half comes around and rapes what could have been an otherwise decent song.

KING OF CONTRADICTION: 8/10: Good song, just as I was falling asleep this woke me up. Nice, catchy tune.

BEST OF ME: 1/10: Now I'm really starting to get annoyed here. This is ANOTHER ballad. Perhaps emo kids or your depressed girlfriend would like this. I've tried liking this song so much, I just can't. It makes me cry thinking about it...

CONFUSION AND FRUSTRATION IN MODERN TIMES: 5/10: I really agree with "A Reviewer". This could have been left off the album, and really should have been left off the album.

SO LONG GOODBYE: 0/10: *snooze*...

LOOK AT ME (HIDDEN TRACK): 0/10: An extra slow song about nothing. NOTHING!!!!!!!! Had a hard time keeping awake while listening to this song, I just couldn't wait for it to be over. Not interested. NEXT!!!!!

I saw them on the Strength in Numbers 2007 tour (0ct. 15th at the Shaw Confrence Centre in Edmonton, AB, Canada), and there are a lot of weak songs that sounded AMAZING live. As usual, S41 always deliver the goods live. I still have my T-shirt from the concert, and still wear it with pride. But amazing live sound aside, this is an overall decent-at-best CD. Yes, it's worth buying, just be prepared to skip a lot of tracks. April 30, 2008

Their best so far!

I usually never bother to write a review but after listening to this CD for close to 100 times I felt compelled to expose its greatness! The above review said a lot and what i would add is this CD is as great as Green Days "American Idiot"! Its a shame that the Band decided to release the first 2 tracks which is what many will judge the entire CD on. They are good typical Sum 41 songs but not represntative of the diversity and depth of the cd as it progresses. "March of the Dogs", "Pull the Curtain", and culminating in "Confusion and Frustration in Modern Times" are more representative. If you are reading this you probably are a fan of the genre and maybe Sum 41. Get this CD you won't be disappointed. P.S. I am an averaage fan and not associated with amazon or Sum 41 in any way!! March 10, 2008

A Change of Pace

Although this album is known as being one of Sum 41's most diverse albums, I do feel that there are some hints of the past present in it. You could start to feel the change in their last album "Chuck". I feel this is just a continuation of that album, but with a much improved sound with use of a wider variety of instruments.

I really love the opening and title track, Underclass Hero. It is filled with energy and a great beat; however, I don't really like the other heavier, faster paced songs, such as March of the Dogs and King of Contradiction, as much. It just gets old and I want to hear something different for a change. I enjoy the other slower, more diverse songs more, such as With Me, Best of Me, Walking Disaster, and Dear Father. They remind of the slower songs on Chuck such as Pieces, which is one of my favorite Sum 41 songs.

Anyway, I definitely recommend this album to Sum 41 fans as well as those who are looking for something new and different. Older fans will enjoy songs such as Underclass Hero, March of the Dogs, and King of Contradiction. New fans or fans of the slower Sum 41 songs will take pleasure in the songs With Me, Best of Me, Walking Disaster, and Dear Father. All in all, this is decent album. December 28, 2007

Someone save them!

Sum 41 are one of those bands that you can kind of call a one-album wonder, because their second album All Killer No Filler was really the only time a lot of people were talking about them. And I think I was the only person that picked up their fourth album Chuck, but they still decided to come back with Underclass Hero.

Although the lead guitarist has left the band, the music doesn't sound a whole lot different from previous material. This is especially evidenced by the title track, which, as another reviewer said, sounds just like "Fat Lip". And one surprising thing is that Deryck and the boys are actually better now at mellow songs than the regular material, like "With Me", "So Long Goodbye" and "Best of Me".

With that said, the faster songs that Sum 41 are more known for really don't impress. "The Jester" just zooms by, "Speak of the Devil" makes no sense, and "Walking Disaster" proves that trying to be a deep storyteller doesn't work for everyone. And although I'm normally a fan of anti-Bush songs, even I'LL say that "March of the Dogs" is going a little too far. Underclass Hero is really the kind of album that makes you wonder if the band is running out of ideas, so only buy it if you have all their other albums.

Anthony Rupert November 16, 2007

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