Despite releasing three albums as the frontman of Five O’Clock Heroes, Antony Ellis’ first solo outing sounds like the work of a singer-songwriter who is still trying to find his voice. Its a feeling that sticks throughout the album’s 11 tracks although being the mixed bag that they are it works both for and against the LP’s enjoyability.
The first few opening tracks are the weakest in the collection, providing nothing more than the flat-pack equivalent of sing-along choruses you’d expect from tracks with titles like ‘Chasing the Czar’ and ‘Stand Up’. It’s not that they’re bad, but everything remains rather soulless and stale until Ellis starts drawing from a wider range of influences later on.
The Johnny Cash-esque ‘Dance All Night’ is where things start getting more interesting and is in fact one of the album’s most enjoyable tracks. The lyrics still feel shallow, as they do for most of the album’s running time. Everything gives off the impression that these songs were written because they sound like songs people might write, rather than reflecting A.J Ellis’ personal experiences, but the country infused pop-rock of its best moments are an enjoyable slice of easy listening.
Despite highlighting his vocal weaknesses ‘Hit the Bottom’ feels less like an ode to its creator’s idols, mixing genre conventions to create something with a slightly more unique sound. If any track shows promise for the future of his solo career, this is it. It’s rough around the edges, but in an almost charming way and hints that A.J Ellis could find his place in the world of adult-orientated pop if he spent a bit more time refining his material.
Album closer and title-track ‘Bury the Devil’ is another peak and is home to the album’s most memorable melody, again hinting that the musician could be capable of far more than the throwaway guitar-pop that makes up most of his first solo effort.
There is some fun to be had with Bury the Devil and none of the music is bad, but its rarely more than decent either. For the most part it’s undercooked and in its worst moments, it’s simply half-assed.
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