Pulley's new CD makes 'Matters' worse

By Nate Seltenrich

If SoCal pop-punkers Pulley were ever good at what they did, they're certainly not anymore. Although the traditionally keen ear of Epitaph Records founder and owner (and Bad Religion guitarist) Brett Gurewitz has kept the band aboard his label ever since it released their 1996 debut, "Esteem Driven Engine," they've failed to deliver on much of any musical promise. Pulley's latest full-length, "Matters," is an entirely worthless piece of work â€" a boring, simple, over-produced punk poseur album.

It's a shame the new album's so bad, because Pulley's 1999 self-titled release showed considerable potential. Spearheaded by smooth palm-muted metal riffs and a couple instrumental punk/alternative rock tracks, it was a notable effort that made Pulley a band to keep your ear on.

Now they just sound like Bad Religion, and now matter how much you like or dislike Bad Religion, you're bound to like Pulley much less. Maybe Epitaph is hoping to reach some listeners who have never heard Bad Religion, and to that clientele, this album just might be acceptable. But even then, it's merely a shallow imitation of something far more substantive.

While Pulley's earlier albums showed good senses of melody and harmony, these elements are so overdone on this album that they're no longer enjoyable. I'm surprised "Matters" was released on Epitaph and not Universal or Columbia â€" it sounds as marketable as any of the puny pop-punk acts signed to those labels.

Any questions about punk being co-opted into the mainstream? Here's proof â€" a group of musicians who were raised on first generation punk bands and their seminal West Coast followers have released a collection of harmless, commercialized music that's only "punk" because the songs are fast and short.

The proverbial icing on the cake is the acoustic ditty "Thanks" that wraps up the album: "So thanks to all our friends / Without you we'd be at home again / Goodbye it's not the end / I hope that we'll see you when we're here again." This sentiment is about as cliched and forced as the rest of the album, a microcosm of its generic quality and tired message.

Grade: C-

û Contact Nate Seltenrich at (408) 554-4546 or nseltenrich@scu.edu.