The longevity of a roach, more like…
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[4.43]
Alfred Soto: In a couple of quarters the Beltway press has expressed Bush II nostalgia. Iraq War, permanent tax cuts for the rich, cronyism, and Papa Roach — please remember, and all done with competence.
[4]
Katherine St Asaph: This is #1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart and has been for some time. What an odd parallel universe it is over there, one with no progression of time: take out some dancehall percussion I’m probably imagining, and this could be the follow-up single to “Last Resort.” A limp follow-up, but one that sounds more oddly refreshing in 2017 than it would’ve then. Which is a sign, I suppose, that I also need help.
[5]
Crystal Leww: Shoutout to Papa Roach, getting their 2017 bump from a joke tweet that Paul Ryan was listening to “Last Resort” when the health care bill was defeated in the House the first time. Papa Roach hasn’t changed much since then, but I guess there will always be kids who wear a lot of black clothing who need something to connect to in tough times.
[5]
Will Adams: With all the memes and jokes about “edginess” that have enveloped early ’00s nu-metal songs like “Last Resort,” it’s easy to overlook the fact that they are real, raw cries for help. Apart from some cleaner mixing, “Help” is virtually unchanged from its 16-year-old predecessor, and while the lyrics are unsubtle and easy prey for modern-day cynicism, there is something refreshing about its blunt honesty, especially as it pertains to seeking help.
[6]
Will Rivitz: As with every other Papa Roach song, this is pretty uninspired. As with every other Papa Roach song, I think I’ll always have a soft spot for it and everything like it. Something something you’re always 15, I guess.
[5]
Thomas Inskeep: Someone really should tell them that it’s not 2002 anymore.
[1]
Katie Gill: There’s an odd line between “staying true to your aesthetic” and “putting a new coat of paint on a 2000s song and passing it off as something new.” This is certainly Papa Roach and certainly will be played in Hot Topics nationwide. And…that’s about it.
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