Famous Underground opens with a song called Wasteland. It sounds like 80’s hair metal, but with a more modern edge. Personally, I love the sound that results. Nick’s voice sounds like a deeper version of Tom Keefer from Cinderella and this song sounds like a heavier version of them as well. This blended sound is found on quite a few more songs, like "Dead Weight", "Forever and a Day" (both of which are somewhat ballads), and "Mommy is a Junkie." I think "Dead Weight" is my favorite on the CD. It’s a ballad, for the most part, but the chorus has a heavier sound that fits the lyrics perfectly. It’s a bit addictive and you can’t help but to sing along to this eclectic song with the way the tempo changes. It’s a unique song in a good way. There is an acoustic version on the album as well, but I prefer the original.
Not everything on the album sounds the same. Famous Underground has a wide variety of musical styles that they enjoy playing. Songs like "Wheel of Misfortune", "Necropolis", "Bullet Train", and "Hell to Pay" are much faster and heavier, but they each have a different sound. "Necropolis" almost feels punk to me, while "Wheel of Misfortune" has a very Alice in Chains sound to it. "Bullet Train" just has a solid metal feel.
If you ask me what does Famous Underground sound like, I wouldn’t be able to give you a single answer. They have thrown down the gauntlet to challenge anyone to have a wider variety of styles in their repertoire, which gives them a definite edge. I think that it is going to depend on your personal tastes as to which songs you like and which you don’t, but I will bet that you’ll find something on there that appeals to you! I recommend you check out their website. You can watch some of their videos and get a true feeling for Famous Underground.
