The Treatment - Running With The Dogs (Album Review)
Wednesday, 05 February 2014
Written by Simon Ramsay
At what point does a band cross the line between being inspired by their idols and copying them? It's an increasingly prevalent question when it comes to young rock ‘n’ roll acts, and particularly relevant when discussing the Treatment's hit and miss second album.
This hotly-tipped five-piece released a cracking debut in 2011, a record that received praise from Mötley Crüe's Nikki Sixx and resulted in them opening for Kiss and Crüe on their tour of America the following summer.
With that incredible opportunity behind them, along with a wealth of experience on the road, the stage seemed set for them to deliver something special. Unfortunately, they've run into the same obstacle as many a great rock band: the difficult second album.
The old cliché says that you have your whole life to write your first record, whereas the follow up has to be completed in a fraction of the time. 'Running With The Dogs' feels rushed and, as a result, doesn't possess the same quality as their boisterous bow.
One bonus of such a hasty process is the urgency that comes through in the playing. The Treatment bash out these songs with so much intensity it almost acts as a smoke screen, until further spins reveal that they've coped with the quicker pace by falling back – both musically and lyrically - on what they've heard before.
There isn't one song here that doesn't sound like AC/DC, DefLeppard, Aerosmith and their ilk. It's almost impossible for young rock acts to be original, as there's little new territory to explore, but that hasn’t stopped the equally derivative Airbourne and Heaven's Basement from impressing.
The difference is the strength of their songs and the unique personality they bring to them. Airbourne, for example, are so similar to AC/DC that they're almost a tribute act. But, they write fantastic tunes and deliver them with so much character and conviction that it sweeps away any thoughts of plagiarism.
That was true of the Treatment's debut, but it's lacking this time. Take opener I Bleed Rock ‘N' Roll, a cracking piece of music that sounds like Guns N' Roses tearing through Chuck Berry's Johnny B. Goode. Then the limp chorus, with its hackneyed lyric, kicks in: “I bleed rock ‘n’ roll /Rock is all I need /I bleed rock ‘n’ roll/It's my destiny”.
Likewise, Get The Party On and Outlaw. It's unbelievable that - post Steel Panther - any badass rock band can sing about partying with a straight face, while declaring yourselves outlaws isn't all that believable when you're from Cambridge.
Amid the formulaic repetition there are shining diamonds, though. Drop Like A Stone has a fierce groove and stunning guitar solos, while Emergency riffs on an AC/DC backbone before a luscious chorus with wonderful harmonies recalls the Darkness at their best. The influences are obvious, but the strong craftsmanship renders them irrelevant.
The Treatment are undoubtedly talented and the best moments on this album show they can sculpt a winning tune. But they need to discover their own voice and be less reliant on their heroes in order to build on their early promise.
Wed February 05 2014 - STOKE Sugarmill
Fri February 07 2014 - LONDON O2 Academy Islington
Sat February 08 2014 - WOLVERHAMPTON Slade Rooms
Sun February 09 2014 - MANCHESTER Manchester Academy 3
Mon February 10 2014 - SHEFFIELD Corporation
Tue February 11 2014 - GLASGOW King Tuts Wah Wah Hut
Thu February 13 2014 - CARDIFF Clwb Ifor Bach
Fri February 14 2014 - BRISTOL Thekla
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