Aiden - Conviction

Release Date: 8/21/07

I don’t like when I have to struggle through listening to an album. It becomes frustrating and I become distracted. It also ends up with me writing very offensive reviews. This time around, I might take it easy (though probably not). When I listened to Aiden’s Conviction, the opening line “Close your eyes, the rain won’t wash away” signaled the fastest time in my personal history to have ever hated an album. I was only 15 seconds into the first track! Competing with Sufjan Stevens’ Enjoy Your Rabbit for the prime ranking on my “Least Enjoyable Listens” list, the album remarkably manages to sound like a boys choir in a musical about broken hearts in a juvenile hall, as well as having the same effect as a thunderstorm that ruins a camping trip. The boys choir definitely needed more lessons before taking the stage. The lead singer, whose ego manages to be so massive that he requests his name be spelled wiL, has many troubles in maintaining a decent pitch throughout Conviction. The sound of rain may stem from the overuse of drumrolls or continual hi-hat smashing. The dull piano work, absence of musical integrity, and repetition on the album disappoints with every listen. Eventually, every song feels like filler. On the final track “The Sky is Falling,” wiL sings “Bring me back to life,” though in all honesty, he just needs to be brought back to reality. You can find better paper weights for less than half the price.