Boom's only album,
One Hour Talisman, went rather unnoticed at the time of its release in 1997. Although this CD is not the pinnacle of creativity, there is much to get excited about here. Boom is a guitar/bass/drums power trio, but the complex beats, stop and go writing, and abrupt song endings turn the basic recipe into something out of the ordinary. The best comparisons would be with labelmates Rattlemouth and
Forever Einstein (minus the surf slant).
Anthony Curtis' guitar work is full of twangy bar and wah-wah moves. He should appeal to fans of another "twangy" new music guitarist: David Fiuczynsky. The other highlight of the album is Pippin Barnett's drumming. The ex-Nimal and No Safety drummer puts his complex and very precise chops at work to great results. All tracks are under five minutes, as the band seems to aim at short and punchy tunes. And most of the time it works, but the succession of the 14 tracks becomes a little repetitive. That's probably why
One Hour Talisman failed to make a lasting impression. ~ François Couture