Continuing the tone shift of their 2015 effort
Threat to Survival, Florida hard rock outfit
Shinedown further amplify the polished pop sheen on their sixth set,
Attention Attention. Packed with propulsive anthems that are less
Breaking Benjamin and more
Imagine Dragons (albeit with a lot more muscle),
Attention is another step in the band's evolution away from the murky post-grunge sludge of their early work. Produced by the band's bassist
Eric Bass,
Attention Attention is expertly crafted and lives up to its name, maintaining high energy on 14 tracks of fuel-injected might that aligns with mainstream-friendly bands like the aforementioned
Imagine Dragons,
AWOLNATION, and
X-Ambassadors (especially on tracks like the "Sail"-esque "Kill Your Conscience"), as well as
Royal Blood, and even a little late-era
Muse. "Devil" and "Black Soul" kick the doors in before "Pyro" engulfs listeners with its riff-heavy, propulsive overdrive. Streamlined yet potent, "The Human Radio" and "Darkside" play with programming flourishes and pop hooks, even injecting some Auto-Tune into the latter. Old-school fans will appreciate the classic feel of "Monsters" and "Creatures," two no-frills moments that harken back to their early days. Outliers include the thematic pairing of the uplifting "Get Up" and the honest "special," which surprise with their heart and clarity, hinting at a potential for even further sonic evolution and lyrical positivity on subsequent releases. At its core,
Attention Attention is a fun, engaging ride, maintaining
Shinedown's power while making subtle bids to attract a wider audience. ~ Neil Z. Yeung