The time is upon us when Canadaʼs fresh young lads known as Hot Hot Heat put their follow-up album to their 2002 release Make Up the Breakdown on CD store shelves for eager fans to jump on. Unfortunately, this follow-up album entitled Elevator is like many movie sequels: it just doesnʼt measure up. The twelve new tracks released on Elevator are just a rehash of their last album. As I listened to the new album, nothing at all caught my attention or impressed me whatsoever. Their latest single, “Goodnight Goodnight” just simply canʼt be compared to the vivacity and liveliness of their first single “Bandages” on their previous record. Not only does every song sound exactly the same, but they all drone into each other as if they were one, long, monotonous concoction of whining and repetitive drum lines. Hot Hot Heat has held out for about three years, and for what? The dance-rock band we all used to know and love has slithered into that deep ditch of “musicianʼs block.” Not only can they not produce a worthwhile album, but they seem to have lost their knack for catchy and fun lyrics. And apparently the newest vocal trend is to slur and whine your words together, which lead singer, Steve Bays, canʼt pull off too well.
Though Hot Hot Heat has not charmed me this time, their older stuff is honest-to-goodness, awesome music. You would be a fool to judge Hot Hot Heat solely on Elevator. Make Up the Breakdown is definitely one for those of us who love catchy, fast, and loud dance rock. And need we not forget their EP, which came out prior to Make Up the Breakdown. entitled Knock, Knock, Knock. Hot Hot Heat also has another release entitled Scenes One through Thirteen, which is rumored to be quite good, though it has unfortunately never graced the presence of my little ears. I would not be hesitant to check it out though.
An average album with mediocre beats backed by an allover lack-luster performance by the boys of Hot Hot Heat, leaves me no choice but to give this album a mere two stars out of five stars. As heard through Hot Hot Heatʼs previous releases, they have great potential but to be honest, I didnʼthear any of that it in Elevator. Itʼs a real shame when the best part of a new record is the album artwork.