Millionaire, Paradisiac

Okay, so I hate giving bad reviews for anything, but I’m going to be honest here because I believe that’s my duty as a reviewer: Millionaire’s latest EP, Paradisiac, is not good. I’m not going to use any inappropriate words, but just know that as I type this I’m thinking of every word that is related to the phrase “not good.”

So, on that note, let me explain my rationale. First, as an entire piece of work, the album doesn’t flow. Every song is different; some good and some not at all, although one song in particular was fantastic. The lone survivor of my wrath upon this album is the song “Ballad of a Pure Thought.” Everything, from the lyrics to the melody, even the vocals, is gorgeous. You can find Millionaire on iTunes, and I’d highly recommend buying that track and only that one. Unfortunately for Millionaire, “Ballad of a Pure Thought” was their only pure thought. The rest is just muddled in comparison.

Second, Paradisiac is not only mismatched, but it seems that almost every track other than that one exception is a ripoff of some other band. “For a Maid” is totally influenced by the guitar work and vocals of the Pixies. “A Face that Doesn’t Fit” is a total Radiohead rip. Also, I could’ve sworn that I’ve heard the song “Wake Up the Children” on one of the Liars’ CDs. It’s one thing to be influenced by someone, but it’s another thing to steal his or her style and say that it’s an original.

Third, maybe the real reason that I don’t like it, other than every track not corresponding to the next and that they ripped every successful (or even semi-successful) band’s style, is the fact that it sounds like something I would hear on a Top 20 rock station. I feel that my third and final point is the biggest blow that I could give to any band. To those who want to make billions of dollars and have tons of hot chicks all around, Top 20 can be considered a good thing for them because they know that the cash and girls are soon to follow. But for those who are into the art of music, “Top 20” is the harshest statement that anyone could make about you music. And bad as that is, I’m afraid that I have to take it a step farther and say that Paradisiac is worse — it’s a failed imitation of Top 20.