The Good
"Is This a Heartbreak or a Loaded Gun?" is full of crunchy guitars and tons
of great vocal melodies. It has one of those choruses that has you singing
along instantly. "Enemy" churns out one hell of a riff flanked by a pounding
drum beat. Vocalist Jacob Lynam (who also doubles as guitar player) kicks
out another melodic and memorable chorus. Cinderella's Tom Keifer helps
out on slide guitar and Hinder even make a backing vocal appearance.
Soft
piano and acoustic guitars set the somber mood for the power ballad "Just
Say Anything." Meaty riffage and a fist pumping back beat gets the energy
flowing on "Can't Do Anything." Jacob pours his heart out on the tender
ballad "If You Leave." There's a great 80s style guitar solo in the middle.
Lynam break out a little country twang on the anthemic "White Trash Superstar."
The Bad
The lyrics to "Porn Star" are a bit amateurish and gimmicky.
The Verdict
It's not hard to tell that Lynam grew up listening to Poison, Ratt, Cinderella,
L.A. Guns, and the like. One only needs to listen to the mighty guitars,
driving drums, killer melodies, and memorable vocal hooks on Tragic City
Symphony to realize that eighties pop-metal is not dead, it's just underground.
LYNAM
