Before diving into Nothing More’s 18-track opus, picture a world buffet restaurant and imagine the continent-spanning collection of morsels were Michelin-standard instead of lukewarm takeaway fodder. The Stories We Tell Ourselves can only be described as an expertly executed musical buffet, from the opening bars of the Beastie Boys-channelling Do You Really Want It to the nihilistic spoken-word passages between songs and the pop-punk balladry of Just Say When. Johnny Hawkins’ quavering vocals morph expertly from old-school At The Drive In-esque falsetto, to a throaty scream, to velvety clean vocals, as the talented frontman takes us on a journey that encompasses nu metal rhythms, futuristic tech-influenced riffs and stadium pop without ever sounding overdone. Don’t Stop veers between nu metal and a chorus that could sit comfortably on a Maroon 5 album, while The Great Divorce dips into synthy post-hardcore. Eighteen tracks is a long time to stay interesting, but Nothing More nail it.
Nothing More - The Stories We Tell Ourselves album review
Lone Star state rockers cover a multitude of bases
You can trust Louder Our experienced team has worked for some of the biggest brands in music. From testing headphones to reviewing albums, our experts aim to create reviews you can trust. Find out more about how we review.
"I could have said a few words if Rick Wakeman would have shut up": Bill Bruford on the "civil war" at the heart of Yes's tumultuous induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame
"He would have been perfect! Maybe it's not too late!": Ozzy was once asked to audition for Pirates Of The Caribbean but Sharon wouldn't let him
"He was such an interesting man. A funny combination of intensity and craziness." King Crimson's Jamie Muir remembered...
