Bootload Reveiw

“Dig It” by Provo based band Bootload of Boogie prompts the Question:
What is up with Provo Utah, is it in a coma?
Answer: beep….beep…beep…

I am tempted to write a one line review of this album that would read the following: I guess that it takes a band from a place like Utah County to be so far off of the depths of anything in this modern world, that an album this awful could surface. However, that wouldn’t be fair would it; having spent time down in the valley, I am aware, or at least I like to think that Provo does have more to offer than this, doesn’t it?

I am tempted to leave it at that, but we aren’t here just to provoke bitterness and upset these young troglodytes from the hills of Utah County, No! Well not without some attempt at constructive criticism. Surely these guys can play, so why we must ask ourselves, why did this happen? Historians have to ask themselves the same question when talking about any major catastrophic event.

So I sat down and zoned out with headphones on and I listened to this album a few times, and experienced some serious auditory suffering so that all of you don’t have to. This is what I do. I was hoping to find something inspiring to write that wouldn’t be harsh, and mean-spirited; this attrition is not my goal, but did I make this discovery? Well, here’s all I got: the band attempts to win us over with humorous self-deprecation and lyrics that tell the world: “I’m so anti-cool and nerd like, yet I’m actually extremely cool because trying to be cool is even more lame.” This path has been crossed by the Nerf Herders and countless other bands of the Weezer mid 90’s geek-rock following. Now, I can’t really bash most of those bands, because although sometimes juvenile and sophomoric, I was really into it for a time. However, there is a fine line with this angle, and Bootload doesn’t come off as if they are joking about their own social ineptitude, like the best of those bands did, instead, they come off as self-righteous and arrogant.

All that being said, as far as being able to play, this is a very talented trio of musicians; the bass is solid, and actually very nicely mixed. The obviously or overtly, talented drummer puts a cringe on my face with every pop of his piccolo snare drum. Now Utah I have to lay this out there. I thought we had passed this phase as a music scene; now I must stand up and throw my fist in the air and demand more. We have to expect more of our drummers; we have to tell them about tones and sound, because for some reason they don’t get it. The bad choices in this drum kit take over the recording and pretty much ruin what little could have been offered. Bad drummer! Bad! Isn’t there an engineer that can tell him? Do his parents know what he’s doing? It’s obvious, he must have no parents to get away with this. Lastly, the guitar tones never change and the riffs never really get interesting. They’ve built a stable too small for even a one-trick pony. My advise, will someone can please buy “Guido” (this is what he calls himself) a Jonathan Richman album, maybe tell him about Lou Reed or Paul Westerburg; if he had some better musical direction with his voice and phrasing, the most interesting part of this album, and he could actually really do something. I do mean this in all genuineness. Bootload, however, is not worth the earache. Maybe if the album was entitled “Shark Sandwich” would a one liner be apt.

My advice for “Dig It” would be: bury it.