Bulletboys – 10c Billionaire (2009)
It has been six long years since the Bulletboys last release “Sophie”. There is only one original member of this band left, with singer and guitarist Marq Torien. With that being said, you can expect some changes to the Bulletboys sound.
I first heard the track “Road To Nowhere” in an Eddie Trunk Interview in 2008, so I knew this would be a different sounding record, but I wasn’t sure how much. I wasn’t initially impressed with this song, and didn’t expect much from 10c Billionaire. I have been a long time fan of the band, so I bought the CD any way.
The opening cut “Asteroid” is a heavy cut that has a very modern hard rock feel. This is a completely different sound for the Bulletboys. This song would not be out of place on FM rock radio at all. Once the surprise wore off with how different this was, I have grown to like this song a lot.
“Born To Breed” has some monster guitar riffs that sound like the band stole a page out of Slash’s handbook. This song has this rocking sleazy feel that is not unlike Guns N’ Roses. If Marq Torien ever wanted a new job, he should take a look at the singerless Velvet Relvolver. This song should makes that type of statement. Color me impressed!
“Bringing Home The Gun” sounds a lot like a Shinedown track, and I am ok with that. I love Shinedown, and the Bulletboys bring it on this tune!
Wow! Another song with a familiar feel is “Jenna Star”. The funny thing is, this sounds like a Foo Fighters song with different vocals.
I am guessing that the version of “Road To Nowhere” on 10c Billionaire is a little more polished than the one that I heard over a year ago. I like this version a lot more.
The hair metal era of the Bulletboys is gone. I loved the early hits by this band, and surprisingly I like this new album a lot. It took a few listens before I completely appreciated what is happening on this disc. Marq Torien and company have delivered a surprisingly relevant album for today’s rock audience. Old fans of the band might be shocked by their new sound, but I think if you give 10c Billionaire a chance, you will be pleasantly surprised. Not all of the songs work, but there are some solid tunes worth exploring on 10c Billionaire.
Rating: Out of 10
Track Listing:
01. Asteroid
02. Blessed By Your Touch
03. Born To Breed
04. Bringing Home The Gun
05. Girls Kissin’ Girls
06. Jenna Star
07. Road To Nowhere
08. Save The World
09. Wasted
10. Witness
11. Road To Nowhere (Radio Edit)
The Bulletboys are:
Marq Torien – Vocals & Guitar
Ryche Green – Drums
Tory Stoffregen – Guitars
Rob Lane – Bass
Lonnie Vencent and Tony Marcus are back on board. Give this band a shot!(again)
washed up!
What’s the deal with the release date? Chavis pushed it back and the CDUniverse.com says THEY won’t be getting it until November?
It is in stock at Amazon.com.
I freakin love this record. Congrats to Marq and the B-Boys for bringing it!
“Road To Nowhere” has grown on me, but the rest of the disc just doesn’t sound right. I can’t put my finger on it, but it sounds disorganized to me. But “Road To Nowhere” could have definitely been a hit on mainstream alternative radio about 10-15 years ago if they had good label support and a different band name.