Staind grows but stays true to its roots

Thursday, July 14, 2005

By GEORGE LENKER
glenker@repub.com

Except for a shaved head or two, Staind doesn't have much in common with art-rock pioneer Peter Gabriel. But that perception may change with the release of Staind's new CD, "Chapter V."

CLICK HERE and listen to the single "Right Here"

Staind is currently touring in advance of the Aug. 9 release and will be at The Dodge Music Center (formerly the ctnow.com Meadows Music Theater) in Hartford Saturday night, opening for 3 Doors Down.

Fans of the Springfield-based hard rock quartet need not worry. Staind isn't changing into a world-beat pop combo. The Peter Gabriel connection comes by way of some of the sonic treatments on the new album, which was produced by Gabriel's longtime-studio wizard, Dave Bottrill.

Bottrill, a Grammy-winning producer and engineer who also counts Tool and King Crimson among his clients, creates an aural landscape where each sound is well articulated. "We really wanted to get as much distinction in the sounds as possible to make it sonically different from our other records," said guitarist Mike Mushok during a telephone interview last week. "That was our goal when we started looking for a producer."

That goal was achieved as Bottrill's pristine sound sculptures allow the details of each part to stand in stark relief against one another. While this sort of precision works well with the polyrhythmic playing of King Crimson and Gabriel, some fans might question whether it complements Staind's often volcanic music.

But Bottrill showed he could wield a sonic sledgehammer as well as a producer's paintbrush. Songs such as "Paper Jesus" and "King of All Excuses" rock as hard as anything the band has ever done.

"He knew what we sounded like and he had an idea of what things should sound like. He was a real stickler but it paid off," Mushok said. "On our last record, we were missing some of the aggressive songs, but this one melds everything we do, the harder songs and the quieter ones. I'm really happy with it." ...