TESLA:
Into The Now
2004
Sanctuary
By Fizz
Rating: 7.0
Of all the bands who got lumped into the “hair-metal” category in the late ‘80’s, Tesla were perhaps the most unfairly labeled as such. And of those bands who have been making varying attempts at comebacks, I always had the most faith in Tesla. They were a band I grew up with and loved, but for some reason, after their breakup in 1996, I forgot about them for a few years. Once I got bored with nu-metal (which didn’t take very long) they were one of the first bands I rediscovered, and I was impressed all over again. Any kind of song you could possibly want to hear, they could, and did, play. From sentimental yet heartfelt ballads (“What You Give”), to near-thrash burners (“Don’t De-Rock Me”), to commercial hard rock (“Edison’s Medicine”) to grinding, D-tuned metal (“Freedom Slaves), to sweeping semi-epics (“Song and Emotion”). Hell, and all that in the space of one album!
I couldn’t’ve rediscovered Tesla at a better time, because they were just then reforming and going out on a highly-acclaimed reunion tour, putting on their usual stellar live perofrmances across the country. And then another tour after that. And then a live album recorded during those tours. And then more tours. All the while, they would occasionally issue statements where they claimed to be hard at work on new material. So where the hell was it? Well, the album was a long time in coming, and I’ve been a long time in reviewing it. But here it is, and here I am. Was it worth the wait? Wellllllll, kinda.
Most of the songs are slow or mid-tempo numbers, and there is very little rocking-out in the vein of classics like ‘Flight to Nowhere” or “Rock Me To the Top.” We get a lot of soft/loud dynamics, anda more “modern” approach to songwriting. The title track opens the album with a heavy, lurching groove. Brian Wheat’s bulldozer-like bassline powers the song, while the chorus isn’t especially catchy on first listen. There is also a disturbing little interlude of Tom Morello-like guitar squiggling, apparently meant to mimickthe sound of some idiot abusing a pair of turntables. Even with this exercise in lameness, I’d still count the song, as a whole, in the win column.
Elsewhere, we get “Come to Me,” a typically sincere and gentlemanly ballad following in the grand tradition of “Love Song,” “What You Give” and “Try So Hard.” Lighthearted, but sweet, and with the all-important catchy chorus intact. “What A Shame” is another hummable highlight, despite a few seconds of unobtrusive (but unnecessary) fake drums. This is actually the fastest track on the album, tempo-wise, and the fact that it is a laidback, semi-acoustic number should tell you something about the overall pace of the album. “Got No Glory” is the album’s top rocker, with a great grinding riff and another helping of hooks. It would be a shoo-in for best-of compilation inclusion if Troy Luccketta would’ve played at a normal rock ‘n’ roll pace, instead of the plodding mid-tempo lumber he actually uses. Still a good, heavy track in spite of the pace. The album’s semi-epic shows up in the form of “Miles Away,” a slow-waltzing track that is very reminiscent of the band’s underrated 1994 album Bust A Nut. It’s the lighter sections that carry this song, rather than the rather forgettable, heavy parts. Finally, the album closes with the all-acoustic “Only You,” which is easily the most emotional song here. “I don’t want nobody else,” Jeff Keith sings with despair in his smoke-roughened voice, as light orchestration swells behind him, “I only want you. Not your picture on a shelf, ‘cuz that won’t carry me through.” I think I caught a line about “dearly departed” in there somewhere, ratcheting the sadness quotient another notch.
What about the singles? So far, there are two of them released to radio, both mellower tracks. The first, ‘Caught In a Dream,” is one of the most infectious songs on the album, and Jeff finally gets his voice out of the half-octave rut he falls into for much of the rest. Only problem: the lyrics. It’s another overly-earnest save-the-world song. “If you can,” Jeff challenges us, “imagine this: the whole world sharin’ one big kiss.” Hang on while I go barf!
Okay, I’m back. The second single is the easygoing “Words Can’t Explain.” It features a simple G-D-C chord progression, but does include one of the best solos on the album, and a melody one can’t help but like. After hearing it the first time, I thought “These guys need to stop trying to be Collective Soul,” which is a funny thought, considering Collective Soul were arguably fourth-rate Tesla imitators. After a few listens though, I got to liking the song for itself, and it actually dwarfs other current radio hits.
There are no really BAD songs on Into The Now, but there is, for the first time on a Tesla release, more than one mediocre track. “Look @ Me,” “Mighty Mouse,” “Recognize,” and “Heaven Nine Eleven” are all heavy, mildly melodic songs with the cruise-control set firmly in “medium.” They sound “modern” or “current” in the way Saliva or Nickelback too. Tesliva. And while I admit to enjoying Saliva’s debut when it came out, that’s not what I want to hear when I buy a Tesla album, dammit! Shit, “Heaven” and “Recognize” even have tunefully-identical choruses! And in 2004, do we really need another song ruminating on the events of 9/11/01? I don’t mean to appear callous, and I know the song was actually written in late 2001, since the band has been playing it live since their 2002 stint on the Rock Never Stops tour, but the subject matter just seems a little trite and pass`e at this point, as does the fake-sounding percussion in the verses.
Some general comments: Where the hell are the guitar solos? I know damn well Tommy Skeoch and especially Frank Hannon can play better leads than this. There’s too much reliance on wah-effects (the crutch of the untalented), in the songs that have solos at all. Meanwhile, Jef Keith’s vocal range continues to deteriorate, probably from years of smoking. He is still melodic, but at times he sounds like a tired Steven Tyler. Combine that with the general sluggish pace of the songs, and Into The Now reminds me more of Jeff and Tommy’s Bar 7 project from a few years ago than any previous Tesla album. From their own past work, I would place it nearest to Bust A Nut, although that album had more catchy songs like “She Want, She Want,” “Need Your Lovin’” and “Mama’s Fool.”
7.0 looks like a pretty decent rating, and it is, and this is a decent album taken on its own. But it’s damn near impossible not to compare it with the rest of Tesla’s catalog. I would rate their first three studio albums as 9+ efforts, so you can imagine I was a little disappointed at first. My original rating was a barely-adequate 6.0, but I did grow to like the record more after a few listens. Even still, it’s definitely not the place to start for someone just getting into the band. For beginners, go for 1989’s Great Radio Controversy or 1991’s Psychotic Supper. If you don’t like anything at all, or will not consider listening to some of the current crop of commercial-radio bands (Nickelback, Saliva, Fuel), you’ll probably want to avoid this album as well. Overall, a somewhat subpar album with only flashes of Tesla’s former brilliance.
I hear they still kick ass live, though.
Best songs: “Miles Away,” “Got No Glory,” “Come To Me”
Worst song: “Heaven Nine Eleven”
