Confessions

Confessions is a work on which BUCKCHERRY drew the roughness of hard rock, centered on gritty guitar, a straight beat and emotion-forward vocals. The songs are compact and immediate, yet hold a shadow that does not end in mere brightness. It is an ambitious record with a concept-album-like structure themed on the “seven deadly sins.” Songs named for the sins — “Gluttony,” “Wrath,” “Greed” and “Lust” — line up, with the momentum of barroom rock ’n’ roll and inward-gouging melody crossing. Songs like “Nothing Left but Tears” and “The Truth” breathe the band’s full expressiveness too. With a depth beyond mere party rock, it is a rewarding record that houses a firm thematic quality within its rough energy.