30 Seconds to Mars:  A Beautiful Lie
November 14, 2005
By: Erin Fraser
Arts & Entertainment Writer
The Gateway - University of Alberta Newspaper

It would be easy to dismiss Hollywood actor Jared Leto’s band, 30 Seconds to Mars, as a vehicle for him to attempt to regain the heartthrob status he once held in the mid ’90s, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. The band seems to do little—if anything at all—to capitalize on their lead singer’s fame, but it’s unfortunately still the one thing most people know about 30 Seconds to Mars. It’s unfortunate because, given the negative stigma attached to actors trying to be rock stars, this decent band will be scrutinized more often than they deserve.

The album is full of relatively well-crafted synth-rock ballads, and is far from a disappointing disc. Unfortunately, the dozen tracks included on A Beautiful Lie all seem a little too safe; it would have been nice to hear something more daring and bold from a band that, while perhaps more under the watching eye of critics, has the benefit of free publicity.The potential for more interesting and adventurous songs is there, but not used.

Despite this, the album’s downfall is its lyrics. Every song reeks of teenage heartbreak and self-discovery. Leto can sing, but he has an annoying tendency to endlessly repeat what one can only assume to be his favourite lines from each song—an act that only serves to amplify the mediocrity of the lyrics themselves. But at least the misunderstood teenagers who will end up listening to this album will have something to write with big black markers on their army surplus knapsacks.

A Beautiful Lie isn’t a bad album, and 30 Seconds to Mars isn’t a bad band, either. But with this album, there are jus too many factors holding it back to allow for much success.