Still, it can’t be taken away that Getaway completely surpasses any expectations. Viewed as an independent entity though, the main criticisms about this album are largely aesthetic, such as the horribly cringeworthy lyrics of opener Bad Reputation, or the uninspired rehashing of Shame. The fact that it’s an excellent example of how this type of rock can be done right is undeniable, but in a wider context it comes across as restricted. When put alongside bands who genuinely innovate on each of their releases, Getaway pales in comparison, and its strength really only seems pertinent amongst their own peers in their own scene. The genre that Adelitas Way find themselves in is one bound by formula, and Getaway is most definitely formulaic, no matter how well said formula is manipulated. Where Getaway is let down most though, is in its own status of the type of album it is. Admittedly these instances are rather fleeting, but Adelitas Way are more than capable of making them count. Harbor The Fugitive serves as a true high point in its fusion of Nickelback’s more tolerable fare and something genuinely bordering on an understated, Paisley Underground-style jangle, and Filthy Heart attempts to stretch itself to nearly six minutes with the tiniest shreds of prog. But while Adelitas Way work well by sticking to their guns, they also find success when turning their hands towards experimentation (itself usually a foreign concept with this type of band). Low throws out a real blockbuster of a chorus, while I Get Around is a veritable steamroller of a track, and a prime example of how ‘straightforward’ isn’t necessarily conducive with ‘boring’. Such conviction smoothly translates into the actual songs, some of the most potent examples of US radio rock you’re likely to hear this year. Getaway sees Adelitas Way branding the statement that there’s a lot more to them than what is often considered, and it does so with a consistently strong level of conviction. There’s an ever-evident classic rock flair here – especially on the title track – that gets the blood pumping more than the average band of their ilk, and frontman Rick DeJesus has a serious abundance of passion and character injected into his vocals, lending itself to the likes of the snarling Put You In Place to great effect. While that may be the case though, Getaway sees Adelitas Way flaunting a bit more style that lets them inch past the competition. The Las Vegas quartet’s fourth full-length doesn’t break any new ground musically – it’s very much straight down the middle, grunge-tinged hard rock in the vein of bands like Three Days Grace and Breaking Benjamin. And while that admittedly may hold some truth, Getaway is a prime example of how Adelitas Way aren’t as awful as the vast majority of bands in their bracket. The common opinion is that they’re just another one of those bands peddling lowest common denominator, meat-headed radio rock with a tiny bit of metallic crunch.
Despite never being held in such universal contempt as the likes of Nickelback, Adelitas Way have historically been tarred with the same brush.