Like a masochist in a meatpacking facility, I've just got to have my hooks. A song can rock as hard as Keith Moon drumming with dynamite sticks at the peak of a coke binge, but without a hook, what are you going to remember? "Yeah, dude, it rocked." But can you hum it? Can you pick up a guitar and clumsily finger the melody in a matter of seconds? No. No, you can't.
Of course, we all need to rock out, too. Not paper, not scissors-- rock. I mean, hooks are all well and good, but limp pop can only go so far, no matter how catchy it is. What you need is that extra power chord, or maybe that unnecessary cymbal crash, to hammer it home.
I've often had trouble reconciling these conflicting needs. Usually, the best I can do is stand in front of my CD player and rapidly alternate between hook-filled pop and balls-out rock 'n' roll. That, and listening to Burning Airlines' excellent debut album, Mission: Control! Not only did Mission: Control! rock as hard as anything J Robbins put out with Jawbox, it was crammed with unforgettable pop hooks the likes of which have rarely ever graced such a tight rock album.
And oh, was the result potent. An album that was catchy enough to get stuck in your head, and rockin' enough to give you whiplash from the countless hours spent mentally replaying the album. At least, the jaw-dropping first half of it was. Aside from a few weak spots in the later innings, there was little fault to be found in Mission: Control! From a technical or purely instinctual point of view, it was a masterfully pulled-off affair. Sadly, such a perfect balance cannot be maintained forever. Ice caps melt, dodos become extinct, and rock overpowers the unsuspecting pop hook. Identikit, the Burning Airlines' second full-length, is certainly a fine rock record. But with only a few exceptions, it lacks the hooks to really pull you in.
But to break from tradition, let's look at the exceptions rather than the rule. "A Song with No Words," with its twisted, effects-laden guitar riffage, lively guitar/bass interplay, and compelling vocal melody, is Burning Airlines at their best. While several of the lyrics to "A Song with No Words" (yes, it has lyrics), could easily be considered typical love song fare, the slithery, off-putting guitar part and intricate bassline give the song some deliciously shifty undertones. "Outside the Aviary," the album's opener, utilizes a more traditional means to achieve a similar result; it's a fiery, intense rock song held together by the interplay of three expert musicians.
Sadly, though, even these songs aren't as instant as the standouts from Mission: Control! It seems that when Bill Barbot left the group, so did the memorable riffs. New bassist and songwriting collaborator Mike Harbin does contribute driving, fluid basslines, and a more dissonant edge, but often, the dissonance seems to accomplishing very little. When it's on the stereo, Identikit can be a vicious, intense listen. But unlike its predecessor, once the record ends, you're ready to move on.
