I've never understood bar rock. Does sweating through generic tunes night after night in a shitty dive really appeal to aspiring musicians? Of course, no band would really consider itself bar rock, but sometimes I wonder. Why would a band purposely adopt a style that is so cliched in its mediocrity? A.C. Cotton is one such band that mystifies me. From the lyrics to the artwork to the production- everything is middle of the road. Sure, there are some relatively catchy hooks on Half Way Down as well as some gritty guitar solos, but nothing to grab your attention much less hold it.

The music sounds like so many other bands that it ends up sounding like nothing- just rock and roll blah. You know those angst-ridden FM ballads that litter every drama on network TV? A.C. Cotton sounds like it tosses them off in its sleep. Its brand of punchy, country-tinged rock and roll is dead on arrival. The thing is, though, there are plenty of people that would probably be into this (music this innocuous always manages to attract fans). I just don't know whom, specifically. I don't know anyone listening to Limp Bizkit either, but then again I don't know many thirteen-year-olds that hate themselves.

A.C. Cotton is led by Alan Charing – you know – from The Alan Charing Controversy? Just kidding- I don't really expect you to know that. Apparently, Alan Charing likes his name- so much so that he doesn't hesitate incorporating it into a bad band name. Or two. Well, anyway, he doesn't hesitate writing a boring song either. I've sat through Half Way Down three times now, and it's all one big blur. The cliches have beaten me into a state of numbness. The "down on your luck lonesome blues" as seen through the eyes of a Springsteen acolyte put to generic bar rock is not my cup of tea. Is it yours?