Album Review: Buckcherry – Warpaint (Century Media Records)

Ask Josh Todd about the inspiration behind Warpaint, Buckcherry’s eighth studio album and indeed, the frontman’s goal in making music and he’s got a ready response: “I want to connect with people, host the party, and give people a night they’re never going to forget,” Todd says.

The Los Angeles-based lineup has been doing exactly that since the 1999 release of their self-titled album. Hits including “Lit Up,” “For the Movies,” “Crazy Bitch” and “Sorry,” not to mention Grammy nominations, international touring and Platinum sales, have solidified Buckcherry’s rock ‘n’ roll bona fides.

Warpaint, produced by Mike Plotnikoff (Halestorm, All That Remains), with a March 8, 2019 release date, adds to that impressive legacy, boasting the dynamics and immediacy of the band’s incendiary live show, coupled with Todd’s personal, no-holds-barred lyricism.

Fans of the long-time rockers can breathe easy. Warpaint sees Buckcherry continue with the groovy, sleazy and fun sound that has made them worldwide superstars. If you’re desperate for your Buckcherry fix, Warpaint more then delivers on that. However, on the same front if you’ve never been a fan, Warpaint is not going to change that.

We see the best and the worst of the band with the opening title track. Sultry vocals and some really tight sounding riffs gets the head nodding and the foot tapping but it doesn’t seem as though the band are really pushing themselves here. Is it catchy? Yes. Are we going to be rocking out to this in a month’s time? Probably not.

Right Now improves things with a bit more bark to the vocals and dropping an impish guitar solo in. While Head Like A Hole has some hearty absorbing groove and Radio Song ironically plays out a radio friendly rock ballad. That would be probably be more clever if it was anything but just a passable tune.

It’s not as if Buckcherry are in capable of delivering strong and exciting hard rock tunes as Bent, The Alarm and No Regrets sees the band really throw their all into getting the party started. Even later, a country-tinged ballad in The Hunger is quite sweet sounding.

Buckcherry’s return comes to a close with a double header of traditional Buckcherry rock and roll as Closer and The Devil’s in the Details gives us varying levels of quality rock. The former is run of the mill stuff that barely elects a yawn while the latter is a uppity and harder rocking finale. Far more appealing and a strong song to end on.

As said at the start of this review, long-time fans of Buckcherry will have few complaints here as it’s business as usual for the band. However, several times they seem to just take it far too easy resulting in uninspired and weak tracks. It’s not a bad album but there only a handful of tracks here that would end up on a Buckcherry best of playlist.

Buckcherry – Warpaint Full Track Listing:

1. Warpaint
2. Right Now
3. Head Like A Hole
4. Radio Song
5. The Vacuum
6. Bent
7. Back Down
8. The Alarm
9. No Regrets
10. The Hunger
11. Closer
12. The Devil’s In the Details

Warpaint is out on March 8th and will be available via all major streaming services.