Machine Gun Kelly – “No Easy Way Out” [Album Review]

OK, before we get going here I feel it’s important to address a vital point, this is not Machine Gun Kelly the American rap artist. They are in fact an Italian rock band that formed in Savona way back in the year 2000. Although to the best of my knowledge there has not been a legal dispute over the use of the Machine Gun Kelly identity, it could be argued that these Italian lads could make the claim if there had been one. Let’s not get into that though.

These guys have not made any real attempt to sound unique or produce anything particularly innovative, instead deciding to stick to tried-and-tested, good old 80’s rock n’ roll. This album is full of kick-ass guitar riffs and hooks, deep bass lines and a drummer that holds everything together in an impressive way. So, why did I score No Easy Way Out so low? It’s simple, I just cannot get on board with the vocalist’s style! I’m not saying he is bad, but I do not feel he really complements the style of the music. I feel the music would be better suited with someone who can wail and hit those high notes, but instead it just comes across as, well, whiny!

If you remove this admittedly rather major criticism from the equation, musically, this album is quite entertaining. Some standout tracks include “Eye of the Storm”, a fast-paced, catchy rock tune, “Hard Times”, a singalong slower ballad of a tune, and of course the title track on the album, “No Easy Way Out”, yet another simple, yet effective rock song. All the songs on this album follow a similar theme throughout, which, for the instrumental side of things is a positive aspect for any fan of rock n’ roll as it really does not need updating, however, given the negative aspect the vocalist brings to the table, it’s unlikely I will ever let this pass through a speaker again.

In conclusion, I truly want to like this, but the vocalist does not seem to fit in with his bandmates. I would still encourage you to give this a chance – as I would with most – but this really wasn’t for me.

No Easy Way Out Track Listing:

01. Intro (Broadcast Humanity)
02. Broadcast King
03. Aileen
04. Eye of the Storm
05. Nothing Ever Changes
06. Hard Times
07. Stand and Fall
08. No Easy Way Out
09. Take What You Need
10. The Boogeyman

Run Time: 38:39
Release Date: January 13, 2018

Check out the band’s “Broadcast King” lyric video.