Coming Clean… Again

Debuting in a time where the rap-metal’isms of Limp Bizkit and Korn dominated the airwaves and the sales charts, Puddle of Mudd neatly squeezed themselves into the mainstream by filling a void left by the waning popularity of other straight ahead rock groups such as Creed and 3 Doors Down. Nevertheless, the summer of 2002 quickly became the “”Summer of Mudd,”” as the band, with their dark, infectious guitar riffs intertwined with the high pitched crooning of lead vocalist Wesley Reid, churned out four singles from their debut platinum album, Come Clean. Attempting to shake the sophmore slump, the band return a second helping of the same, retitled Life on Display.Though other genres may fade in and out, arena-rock has remained relatively stable in form of mainstream popularity. To Puddle of Mudd’s credit – they pull it off quite nicely, what with their catchy, guitar-driven rock augmented with acoustic overtones. However, the genre is also self-limiting in a sense that most bands never establish themselves as legitimate artists. Rather, most are left by the wayside to make room for newer, edgier and more mainstream bands. Sadly, it appears as though Puddle of Mudd will follow suite with their previous arena-rock predecessors.
ame Despite opening with “”Away From Me,”” a catchy song straight out of the arena-rock playbook, Life on Display really feels like a somewhat darker, re-heated version of Come Clean, with the same repetitious hooks and sometimes irritatingly pitched vocals. And while Puddle of Mudd appear to be at the top of the arena-rock throne, you’ve gotta wonder how much longer their reign will last.