Fourteen years ago, Eve 6 had the world on a platter for a New York minute. That moment in 1998 was incredible; “Inside Out” propelled Eve 6 to the top of the Billboard chart where they spent thirteen weeks swinging between numbers one and two, and it reached #21 on the Hot 100 Airplay. The reception of "Inside Out" was the push which convinced Katie Holmes to appear in the video for “Tongue Tied,” the album's third single. It was a great time – which was never to be repeated. Two years later, the band's sophomore effort Horrorscope represented the gentlest imaginable slide from grace, but by the time It's All In Your Head arrived five years after the band's big bang, no one cared anymore. After that, Eve 6 went on hiatus but then came back with a different guitarist who ended up giving up after four years. Then original guitarist Jon Siebels came back again in 2011. It's been a weird ride which has seemed to take a stupifyingly long time to go a short distance but, finally, Eve 6 might have something good to show for its trouble in Speak In Code – the band's fourth LP (first for Fearless), and their most evenly performed, without question.
“Evenly performed,” you ask? That's the easiest way to describe a record which has no barn-burning singles similar to “Inside Out” to brag about, but no face-planting-ly bad moments either. From the moment “Curtain” lays in to open the record, Eve 6 emerges with a new lease on life courtesy of a striking dance-punk pose, expensive electronic production values and styles and a spirit which is just dying to please. Some might read that as the all-time most offensive sell-out tactic ever perpetrated on the record-buying public and it may well be, but what saves Speak In Code from burning is the fact that all three members of the band wear this new image incredibly well, have learned a couple of new tricks to hold listeners' attention, and the songs are pretty captivating to boot.
After “Curtain” gets the ball rolling for Speak In Code, the surprises keep on sweeping in as “Victoria” bounces in with some good time, party-ready vibes and rhythms (come on – if lines like “She's doing body shots off Italian guys in Mexico” don't sound like fun, check your pulse), followed by “Situation Infatuation” (which really only needs inclusion on a teen movie soundtrack to become a hit) and “B.F.G.F.” plays out the same 'love pursuit' theme that has been turning gold for decades (don't think lyrics like “When your lips move you're lying/ you talk all the time/ the queen of the soap op/ you're rocking the soap box/ a mouthful of wine” don't ring close to those in “I Saw Her Standing There,” “Is She Really Going Out With Him” and Green Day's “She” for raw, party-ready classicism? Shame on you – boy-and-girl trouble in song rocks) but still sounds fresh, and more. Each song rings like the dance-pop-rock anthem that Top 40 kids who are sick of the packaged, processed and pitch-corrected monster that radio has become have been waiting for; no song in this set of twelve stumbles, flags or feels like it could have been done better.
By the time “Pick Up The Pieces” finally falls apart at the album's close, those who followed Eve 6 all the way through Speak In Code's run-time will be ready to start it all over again. It might sound difficult to believe, but this album really is so satisfying a listen that it will have people who play through it ready to do it again – who would have thought? It seems bizarre to say it fourteen years after the band's last big hit, but Speak In Code is the full-length album (not just one song) which might get Eve 6 a real, true and genuine fan base if it has the opportunity.
Artist:
www.eve6.com/
www.myspace.com/eve6
www.facebook.com/eve6official
www.twitter.com/#!/eve6
Album:
Speak In Code is out now. Buy it here on Amazon .
