Joshua

A Whole New Theory (Doghouse)
by Tim Den

Aaarrrggghh!! What the hell happened!? Where’s the Joshua I loved and replayed so much? Much to my disappointment, the band that gave me one of my most-played discs last winter (self-titled EP, also on Doghouse) has disappeared into thin air. Gone are the spine-rousing vocals, heavy energy, and unique melodies. Instead, something called A Whole New Theory has replaced the past glories with a headless, unmotivated empty shell that walks in-place while the fragile songs carry on; flimsy due to its empty nature and weak due to the neutered melodies. The vocals sound like they were delivered by someone on their death bed, unable to sing anything without sounding breathless. The new drummer doesn’t help either, tripping the tunes up with his feel-less playing. Even my favorite song by these guys, “Your World is Over,” has lost all its impact in its re-recorded form. It sounds so lifeless. I’m pretty fucking pissed. This was one of my most anticipated new records, now one of my biggest disappointments. Boo-hoo.
(PO Box 8946 Toledo, OH 43623)