Dropbox (Godsmack side-project)

[aussiecreeder]

I must admit I know nothing of these guys but came across this review and was interested because Godsmack are one of the better alt-metal bands for want of a better description. This review isn't overly positive (although writer does like a few songs obviously) but what do you guys think of them? Should I go and get their album?

Dropbox - Dropbox
Label: Universal
Rating:

In the world of music, side-projects can be risky business. Dropbox, a new side-project spawned by that Alt-Rock omnipresence of radio rock, Sully Erna of Godsmack, is one risky venture indeed. Their self-titled debut on Universal Records is executive produced by Erna, and beyond that, he is credited with drumming on all but three of the eleven songs on this album. With a few minor exceptions, this band never really rises above the shadow cast upon them by Godsmack, and their album has few strong points of any note at all.

“Wishbone” defines the sound the band strives to achieve before Erna probably produces it seamlessly to sound more like Godsmack. It’s a dirty, southern rocker that is oddly catchy. Apparently an executive in the corporate juggernaut known as Nintendo agrees with me; this song is also the backdrop for the new Gamecube Transformers video game. It suffers from brain-dead lyrics (“I’m doing it cuz I like it/Wishbone/Out of my way to find it/Wishbone” and “I wanna break you apart”) but it is after all, catchy like I said, and that must be worth something. “I Feel Fine” sounds so much like Godsmack I had to check the album cover to see if this song was really on the Dropbox CD. The vocals have a mild Sullyesque quality to them, but the main Godsmack clonage is the guitar parts. “Nowhere Man” starts off with a bass line and more Godsmack stolen riffs. The band attempts to cover such discrepancies with light grunge distortions but the curse is there and it isn’t going away. “End of Days” is another album strong point. The vocals are given chance to really stretch and experiment with more melodic stylings; as for the guitars, a nice Southern solo often provides a backdrop to the grungy start-stop riffs that provide the song’s general beat. Despite my best attempts, I found myself unable to totally hate this song.

“Forgotten Song” is another strong point; it is a soft, mellow, and largely clean song reminds me vaguely of other alt-rock bands like STP or Creed perhaps. It’s a largely bearable ballad song of sorts that shows there is a soul to this band that doesn’t resemble the previous works of Erna and his Godsmack cohorts. “Take Away the Sun” that is a weak attempt to “Southernize” light Audioslave, or more likely then that, Staind. “Run” returns with some riffs stolen off of the Godsmack and STP styles, but the guitar work is still ok and this is another radio worthy tune. “Unfold” is a nice soft to heavy song that trumps most of the previous material. “Fall Away” is more neo-grunge/alt-rock, this time only faster, and basic filler song writing at its best. “I Told You” is another weak song, and album closer “Nobody Cares” is a acoustic tune that will be covered generically in coffee houses all over the country if it is ever given a mainstream audience, but for now is alright I suppose.

As I earlier said, this band has a song in a Transformers video game commercial. Unlike those vintage 80’s stalwarts of pop-culture, Dropbox cannot seamlessly transform etween one band and another without friction. At one moment, this album is B-Sides Godsmack masquerading under amplified guitars, and at another, its basic Southern alt rock that STP would claim was stolen as well. In general, the sound leans towards the Godsmack spectrum, and I have a strong hunch that this is Erna’s production speaking to me. I can almost imagine good old Sully, sitting in the studio, listening to rough cuts of the newest recorded track. “Alright fellas’,” Sully shouts, “back to the drawing board, this song isn’t Godsmack enough!” The blessing of being the side-interest of an established band is that it is the easy way out; you get so much more money, recognition, and air-play, solely due to the influence of your most popular members. The curse is that it is often at the loss of musical integrity, forcing one’s band to sound like the illegitimate child of its benefactor. I am of the mindset Dropbox should drop Sully; their drums would be much more intricate, and their sound would be in the hands of someone not used to playing in one of rock’s most popular acts. And believe me, that’s not always a bad thing.

[luvscott4ever]

Well I don't hold creedance to what anyone says, especially "critics". I usually go the other way from what they say. If they like it, I don't. If they don't like it, I do!!
But anyhow, I have the cd, thanks to my buddy Dogstar, and I (we) personally like it!! I like the guys voice and it also helps (for me, anyways) that Sully is involved with it, being as Godsmack is one of my FAVORITE bands!! I can remember listening to track #3 from Godsmacks' The Other Side and wondering who the other singer was, that was singing with Sully. Well, come to find out, it is Dropboxs' singer. He has an awesome voice, IMO.
If you don't want to take my word for it, ask Dogstar, I know you'd trust her opinion for sure, cuz she has AWESOME taste in music!!

[Dogstar]

I'm not a Godsmack fan, and I like Dropbox. I don't think it sounds as much like Godsmack as this reviewer thinks. He's right about Wishbone, though. It opens the CD and it is indeed pretty catchy. I can see the STP tinges, as well, but again, it's more of a blend of sounds to me. I go by whether it moves me or not. It's not Alice or PJ or Tool, but it's decent-sounding to me.

[aussiecreeder]

okay thanks guys might have to check them out.....

[rabidgopher04]

Well, there's a few things to say about all of this. A possible explanation of why Godsmack and Dropbox sound so alike is because the singer (I think) of Dropbox was originally in Godsmack. He helped write a lot of the songs on Godsmack's first album.

Also, I think it's kind of weird that when a member of one band helps produce another band's album the other band sounds like the band of the producer. For instance there's Nickelback and Theory of a Deadman. Sometimes you can't tell the difference between the 2.

[Dogstar]

Yeah, wasn't the singer the original guitarist for Godsmack? I like his vocals better than Sully's...Sorry to all you Godsmack fans . I hear ya about Nickelback, too. Too many bands have been Kroegerized of late. Blech...I don't like Nickelback, either, except for one or two songs.

[aussiecreeder]

they (Godsmack) do have fantastic drumming and I guess Dropbox's is also very good. The world has being set upon by Krogerization, what shall we do?

[rabidgopher04]

Quote: (Originally Posted by handmedown)

they (Godsmack) do have fantastic drumming and I guess Dropbox's is also very good.

Sully did most or all of the drumming on the first album (not sure about the second and I know not the third) and he also did a lot of the drumming for Dropbox.

[PaulMcCoygirl]

Quote: (Originally Posted by rabidgopher04)

Also, I think it's kind of weird that when a member of one band helps produce another band's album the other band sounds like the band of the producer. For instance there's Nickelback and Theory of a Deadman. Sometimes you can't tell the difference between the 2.

I agree with you there. When I first heard Theory of a Deadman's "Make Up Your Mind", I thought Nickeblack put out a new single.

[Dogstar]

Yeah, also with Default. When I first heard them, I thought it was Nickelback