Show World

Redd Kross's epitaph will one day read, "In the wrong place at the wrong time." Though they've achieved much critical acclaim (as well as some occasional, well-deserved criticism for stinkers like Third Eye) and were almost huge stars, their timing and luck have been impeccably awful. What could have been their first breakthrough in the mid-'80s, the brilliant Neurotica, was marred by distribution problems from their failing label, Big Time. Their jump to Atlantic was equally disastrous with the release of the horrendous Third Eye. The band finally put out one of its greatest records, Phaseshifter, on Mercury, and absolutely no one noticed--except for Stone Temple Pilots, who shamelessly aped Redd Kross in their hit "Big Bang Baby." Unfortunately, Show World will probably not improve the band's fate. While it is a decent followup to Phaseshifter, it lacks that album's grit and soaring Beatles-esque harmonies. It is a pleasantly solid record of Cheap Trick-like pop--hard yet sweet--but most of the songs tread well-worn territory, and many of the hooks have become a little rote. Though Redd Kross have certainly achieved a lot in their more-than-15 years together, with Show World they may have just run out of gas. With their luck they'll probably make their best album ever two years after electronica rules the music industry. --Adem Tepedelen