The Bronx

Following up their fiery 2003 debut, the Bronx return with their second self-titled effort. Whereas that album was an unexpected punch to the gut with its hungry hardcore punk delivery, on this set the Los Angeles outfit seems to have softened just a touch. Veteran producer Michael Beinhorn (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Korn, Mew) joins the Bronx in concocting an almost alt-metal sound; such a huge change makes it hard to digest. Imagining a polished version of Queens of the Stone Age meets Social Distortion is where the Bronx stand here. The rage, the passion, and the disgust for cultural norms seem a bit forced this time, but the album starts out strong with ferocious songs such as “Small Stone” and “Shi**y Future.” “Dirty Leaves” and “Around the Horn,” however, are broken by anxious choruses and layered harmonies, making the Bronx’s overall sound come off a bit directionless. [A clean version of the CD was also released.] – MacKenzie Wilson