SpecialAgent007
05-08-2005, 12:46 PM
I don't really know what to say...I went in cautiously excited about this album and after listening, I think I'm about as lost as DMB is...on whole, there is nothing really bad about this album but nothing really that good either...I mean, seriously, there's about two songs on here that really jump out and grab me...the rest is just kinda there, as if I'm in an elevator...nothing too threatening. Anyways, I'll move onto a song by song review...
Dreamgirl - here's a song that's not that bad but also has a lot of little annoying things in it...Dave's voice in it is just trying on the ears and ends up setting the stage for a new trick (changing vocal styles for songs) that Dave really needs to abandon or develop a lot more...the litte acoustic guitar riff that comes up is just trying on the ears. It's not that it doesn't work, but it's not smooth and doesn't flow and sticks out like a sore thumb while maintaining all the painful characteristics of a sore thumb quite astutely. Expecting the song to go somewhere, it doesn't and I'm left with an underwhelming, melodically boring calling of "Dreamgirl..." Surprisingly, this is one of my least favorites on the album...
Old Dirt Road - This song to me musically and lyrically just feels really pointless...it's incredibly repetitive lyrically and musically, similar to Dreamgirl...hovering really around two chords and not going anywhere different enough later in the song. This song feels like it's trying so hard and it's almost just a pain to listen to b/c I just want to scream, "Stop!!!" and start from the groundup...the song feels like it's trying to be simple and airy, however, on a simple and airy song, when it feels like you have to do so, that's a very bad thing...what was intended to be an easy song to listen to ultimately is just a laborious waste of five minutes. This song begins to show that there's a trend developing in the songs not really going anywhere...they just kinda are flatlined the whole time w/ no real peaks or valleys...
Stand Up - This song starts up wonderfully and has so much potential, but it just doesn't seem to go anywhere at all...again, it's really just non-threatening...stand up? For what? What am I standing up for? I just don't get this...even the always-stellar Leroi can't save this one from ultimately being ineffective. It builds up so much amazing tension but goes nowhere with it...it's just four minutes of a groove with a couple uneventful musical aspects to differentiate it a little...it's just boring!!! When does this song ever soar? This is a song that should soar but it just doesn't...it's just a beat that goes on and on to nowhere...incredibly frustrating song given it's potential.
American Baby Intro - Besides the incredibly annoying gunshots fired in the background and explosions, this is the first thing musically that is atleast somewhat interesting...and it's hardly even a song!
American Baby - I've grown to like American Baby more but I'm shocked that it's one of the highlights of the album...atleast it has a chorus of some sort that's resounding...this is where I would've expected DMB at this point to be, however, the rest of the album doesn't expand on it too much.
Smooth Rider - I thought I'd like this one more when I heard the clip, but I found it pretty boring when I actually heard it. Thank goodness it's only about two minutes long...I couldn't take more than that of it...another painful example of Dave altering his voice...Dave trying to be something...it reminds me of a half-hearted, boring version of a song from Sting's "Ten Summoner's Tales..." Again, doesn't really go anywhere...beat oriented but going nowhere...
Everybody Wake Up - Atleast this song kinda goes somewhere musically, but I just don't really like it that much. To state again, it's not that any of these songs strike me as really bad, they just don't strike me as very good either. I like that this song has points where it jumps up past the flatline and even below, but it still just doesn't do much for me...also, Dave does a little better job of coming through lyrically than other songs.
Out of My Hands - I thought it sounded better via 40 seconds of clip, b/c it to doesn't really go anywhere, though in a sense, this song very much isn't supposed to...it's a very quiet, tiny thing that I think ultimately works in some ways moreso than some of the other songs due to the quiet nature of this song. But when you get close to four minutes of the same piano riff that doesn't really change much the whole time and doesn't jump out at you too much vocally, it gets a little old. I like this song better than most but it's still bland.
Hello Again - This felt odd on the album compared to a lot of the other songs...hey! It goes somewhere!!! It has a real chorus and other parts that give it some variety and peaks and valleys...it takes musical diversions so as not to be wholly repetitive...my complaints are Dave's hokey hick voice and the ending...it's a tough task to translate this live behemoth into the studio and they did a descent job, but I think aspects of it could've been better.
Louisiana Bayou - Killer groove. It goes somewhere musically too. Unfortunately, it fails to really be a great song b/c the whole picture isn't there...Dave doesn't really do much lyrically or vocally with this one...it's a great beat and some tight music to no end really. I really love the music and groove on this one, but it's not a song that I want to stand up and sing along with when it should be, especially when it turns to the "it's a shame to lose..." part...that is a killer musical hook but Dave doesn't really translate that into much vocally or lyrically...again, just b/c I'm listening to this as I write, they killed this song musically...it's killer...it has all the makings of a great song musically and really goes somewhere and builds. The one big shortcoming is Dave on this one. Still a very good tune and one of the best on the album. Probably my second favorite.
Stolen Away on 55th and 3rd - Pretty descent song w/ a good groove...if this song were on another album it wouldn't annoy me so much though...again, as much of the songs on this album, it just comes off as kinda boring and repetitive as it progresses. This song could work at this point on any other album they've made but on this one it's just grating after listening to numerous other songs similar to it. Individually though, it's a pretty good song that demonstrates again that Leroi is the only one that didn't have to compromise much to make this album. Even Boyd for that matter didn't compromise too much...while there are some points on this album that Boyd sounds awful (Stand Up fills...most of the solo's he takes are kinda boring and uneventful) a lot of this album has some great Boyd. Boyd's good in the background of this song, though he doesn't do much to warrant his presence too much either...
You Might Die Trying - Easily could've existed on Some Devil...has that vibe to it. It does a good job of building in intensity as it goes but I wish it had a little more than two chords...almost every song on this album seems to be based off two or three chords for the mostpart. But this song is pretty good and does atleast alter the course of the initial theme which is respectable and noteworthy. This is one of the better songs on the album...it's as if as the album goes on they started figuring out what they needed to do to make the songs work better given the realm they were playing in. Boyd's solo in this is kinda boring...I wish if they were going to stick a solo in there, he'd put some heart into it even if he is going to play it out of tune live. It's the studio...take some risks...Leroi lights it up though.
Steady As We Go - YES! Finally a song that seems to have it all...this is the one great tune on this album in my opinion. Fairly simple but it goes somewhere...again, it reminds me a bit of something from Some Devil, perhaps the ease of Baby combined with the simple love of Oh, but then he throws a solid, powerful chorus in there that actually rises out of the song. This song is beautiful from start to finish and encompasses everything it needs to in order to be a great song. It also reminds me a bit of Sleep To Dream Her towards the end which some of you may hate, but it's a powerful theme at the end that can turn into a live powerhouse with Leroi stretching it out.
Hunger for the Great Light - Eh...doesn't fit at all w/ the rest of the album...just sounds goofy...it's like a joke to me. If this was a secret song at the end of the album, that'd be one thing, but as a song, and a closer at that, this song is incredibly lacking in substance. Horrible way to end the album...if there's one song I "stand up" and say I absolutely don't like, it's this silly song. I don't even need to say more, but it's just a disgrace to the band and demonstrative of where they're at in so many ways: lost.
With a few exceptions, this album is incredibly lackluster and non-threatening. Again, nothing truly bad (sans Hunger...) but very little approaching very good or great. As a band, the only real standout on this album is Leroi who never fails to sound great, but he can't carry the ship on his own and he's still forced to play over boring songs for the most part. Simply put, this album does not play to the strengths of the band.
Dave's the songwriter in this band when it all shakes down. Once in awhile the other guys can chip in w/ a little something, but Dave's the musical well...The Police was made up of great musicians, but Sting was the songwriter and there's no exception here...where's Dave the songwriter on Stand Up?
Carter is the heartbeat that brings the songs to life. He was completely held back on this album in so many ways though...more locked into one beat the whole time, adding no character and nothing a drum machine couldn't ultimately accomplish...
Stefan - He supports Carter and just throws in some character and attitude when needed...on an album like this, you'd think he'd come out more, but he really didn't! I don't feel like I really heard Stefan on this album.
Boyd - he's the hyperactivity...sometimes out of control live, but that craziness leads to some amazing work in the studio (LIOG themes!)...just real solid themes that rise above and make you truly want to stand up. There was none of those moments on this album for Boyd. He was just there filling in.
Leroi - the fire and passion...he in many ways is in the inner workings of the soul and explodes out in a fit of passion that only Dave can compete with. He was nothing short of great at all points on this album, but just b/c he's funcioning in his role doesn't save the project.
Butch - if DMB was a body, Butch is like the clothes...not literally part of the body but just as important to covering up the nakedness...ha...he does his job here as best he can, but again, just b/c he's doing his part, he can't save the whole. He's the only other member who stands out strongly on this album.
Again, if DMB were a body, R2T-BTCS shows how all parts of the body operating in their given roles. Most stuff past that, and especially this album shows everyone in the band trying to be something they're not and subsequently leaving their other roles behind...what we're left with is a paralyzed body that needs to get its act together if it's going to truly "stand up" and go anywhere. In a five star system, I give this album 2 out 5...only one truly bad track, but a slew of bland, mediocre fillers all put together to make one laborious album.
Dreamgirl - here's a song that's not that bad but also has a lot of little annoying things in it...Dave's voice in it is just trying on the ears and ends up setting the stage for a new trick (changing vocal styles for songs) that Dave really needs to abandon or develop a lot more...the litte acoustic guitar riff that comes up is just trying on the ears. It's not that it doesn't work, but it's not smooth and doesn't flow and sticks out like a sore thumb while maintaining all the painful characteristics of a sore thumb quite astutely. Expecting the song to go somewhere, it doesn't and I'm left with an underwhelming, melodically boring calling of "Dreamgirl..." Surprisingly, this is one of my least favorites on the album...
Old Dirt Road - This song to me musically and lyrically just feels really pointless...it's incredibly repetitive lyrically and musically, similar to Dreamgirl...hovering really around two chords and not going anywhere different enough later in the song. This song feels like it's trying so hard and it's almost just a pain to listen to b/c I just want to scream, "Stop!!!" and start from the groundup...the song feels like it's trying to be simple and airy, however, on a simple and airy song, when it feels like you have to do so, that's a very bad thing...what was intended to be an easy song to listen to ultimately is just a laborious waste of five minutes. This song begins to show that there's a trend developing in the songs not really going anywhere...they just kinda are flatlined the whole time w/ no real peaks or valleys...
Stand Up - This song starts up wonderfully and has so much potential, but it just doesn't seem to go anywhere at all...again, it's really just non-threatening...stand up? For what? What am I standing up for? I just don't get this...even the always-stellar Leroi can't save this one from ultimately being ineffective. It builds up so much amazing tension but goes nowhere with it...it's just four minutes of a groove with a couple uneventful musical aspects to differentiate it a little...it's just boring!!! When does this song ever soar? This is a song that should soar but it just doesn't...it's just a beat that goes on and on to nowhere...incredibly frustrating song given it's potential.
American Baby Intro - Besides the incredibly annoying gunshots fired in the background and explosions, this is the first thing musically that is atleast somewhat interesting...and it's hardly even a song!
American Baby - I've grown to like American Baby more but I'm shocked that it's one of the highlights of the album...atleast it has a chorus of some sort that's resounding...this is where I would've expected DMB at this point to be, however, the rest of the album doesn't expand on it too much.
Smooth Rider - I thought I'd like this one more when I heard the clip, but I found it pretty boring when I actually heard it. Thank goodness it's only about two minutes long...I couldn't take more than that of it...another painful example of Dave altering his voice...Dave trying to be something...it reminds me of a half-hearted, boring version of a song from Sting's "Ten Summoner's Tales..." Again, doesn't really go anywhere...beat oriented but going nowhere...
Everybody Wake Up - Atleast this song kinda goes somewhere musically, but I just don't really like it that much. To state again, it's not that any of these songs strike me as really bad, they just don't strike me as very good either. I like that this song has points where it jumps up past the flatline and even below, but it still just doesn't do much for me...also, Dave does a little better job of coming through lyrically than other songs.
Out of My Hands - I thought it sounded better via 40 seconds of clip, b/c it to doesn't really go anywhere, though in a sense, this song very much isn't supposed to...it's a very quiet, tiny thing that I think ultimately works in some ways moreso than some of the other songs due to the quiet nature of this song. But when you get close to four minutes of the same piano riff that doesn't really change much the whole time and doesn't jump out at you too much vocally, it gets a little old. I like this song better than most but it's still bland.
Hello Again - This felt odd on the album compared to a lot of the other songs...hey! It goes somewhere!!! It has a real chorus and other parts that give it some variety and peaks and valleys...it takes musical diversions so as not to be wholly repetitive...my complaints are Dave's hokey hick voice and the ending...it's a tough task to translate this live behemoth into the studio and they did a descent job, but I think aspects of it could've been better.
Louisiana Bayou - Killer groove. It goes somewhere musically too. Unfortunately, it fails to really be a great song b/c the whole picture isn't there...Dave doesn't really do much lyrically or vocally with this one...it's a great beat and some tight music to no end really. I really love the music and groove on this one, but it's not a song that I want to stand up and sing along with when it should be, especially when it turns to the "it's a shame to lose..." part...that is a killer musical hook but Dave doesn't really translate that into much vocally or lyrically...again, just b/c I'm listening to this as I write, they killed this song musically...it's killer...it has all the makings of a great song musically and really goes somewhere and builds. The one big shortcoming is Dave on this one. Still a very good tune and one of the best on the album. Probably my second favorite.
Stolen Away on 55th and 3rd - Pretty descent song w/ a good groove...if this song were on another album it wouldn't annoy me so much though...again, as much of the songs on this album, it just comes off as kinda boring and repetitive as it progresses. This song could work at this point on any other album they've made but on this one it's just grating after listening to numerous other songs similar to it. Individually though, it's a pretty good song that demonstrates again that Leroi is the only one that didn't have to compromise much to make this album. Even Boyd for that matter didn't compromise too much...while there are some points on this album that Boyd sounds awful (Stand Up fills...most of the solo's he takes are kinda boring and uneventful) a lot of this album has some great Boyd. Boyd's good in the background of this song, though he doesn't do much to warrant his presence too much either...
You Might Die Trying - Easily could've existed on Some Devil...has that vibe to it. It does a good job of building in intensity as it goes but I wish it had a little more than two chords...almost every song on this album seems to be based off two or three chords for the mostpart. But this song is pretty good and does atleast alter the course of the initial theme which is respectable and noteworthy. This is one of the better songs on the album...it's as if as the album goes on they started figuring out what they needed to do to make the songs work better given the realm they were playing in. Boyd's solo in this is kinda boring...I wish if they were going to stick a solo in there, he'd put some heart into it even if he is going to play it out of tune live. It's the studio...take some risks...Leroi lights it up though.
Steady As We Go - YES! Finally a song that seems to have it all...this is the one great tune on this album in my opinion. Fairly simple but it goes somewhere...again, it reminds me a bit of something from Some Devil, perhaps the ease of Baby combined with the simple love of Oh, but then he throws a solid, powerful chorus in there that actually rises out of the song. This song is beautiful from start to finish and encompasses everything it needs to in order to be a great song. It also reminds me a bit of Sleep To Dream Her towards the end which some of you may hate, but it's a powerful theme at the end that can turn into a live powerhouse with Leroi stretching it out.
Hunger for the Great Light - Eh...doesn't fit at all w/ the rest of the album...just sounds goofy...it's like a joke to me. If this was a secret song at the end of the album, that'd be one thing, but as a song, and a closer at that, this song is incredibly lacking in substance. Horrible way to end the album...if there's one song I "stand up" and say I absolutely don't like, it's this silly song. I don't even need to say more, but it's just a disgrace to the band and demonstrative of where they're at in so many ways: lost.
With a few exceptions, this album is incredibly lackluster and non-threatening. Again, nothing truly bad (sans Hunger...) but very little approaching very good or great. As a band, the only real standout on this album is Leroi who never fails to sound great, but he can't carry the ship on his own and he's still forced to play over boring songs for the most part. Simply put, this album does not play to the strengths of the band.
Dave's the songwriter in this band when it all shakes down. Once in awhile the other guys can chip in w/ a little something, but Dave's the musical well...The Police was made up of great musicians, but Sting was the songwriter and there's no exception here...where's Dave the songwriter on Stand Up?
Carter is the heartbeat that brings the songs to life. He was completely held back on this album in so many ways though...more locked into one beat the whole time, adding no character and nothing a drum machine couldn't ultimately accomplish...
Stefan - He supports Carter and just throws in some character and attitude when needed...on an album like this, you'd think he'd come out more, but he really didn't! I don't feel like I really heard Stefan on this album.
Boyd - he's the hyperactivity...sometimes out of control live, but that craziness leads to some amazing work in the studio (LIOG themes!)...just real solid themes that rise above and make you truly want to stand up. There was none of those moments on this album for Boyd. He was just there filling in.
Leroi - the fire and passion...he in many ways is in the inner workings of the soul and explodes out in a fit of passion that only Dave can compete with. He was nothing short of great at all points on this album, but just b/c he's funcioning in his role doesn't save the project.
Butch - if DMB was a body, Butch is like the clothes...not literally part of the body but just as important to covering up the nakedness...ha...he does his job here as best he can, but again, just b/c he's doing his part, he can't save the whole. He's the only other member who stands out strongly on this album.
Again, if DMB were a body, R2T-BTCS shows how all parts of the body operating in their given roles. Most stuff past that, and especially this album shows everyone in the band trying to be something they're not and subsequently leaving their other roles behind...what we're left with is a paralyzed body that needs to get its act together if it's going to truly "stand up" and go anywhere. In a five star system, I give this album 2 out 5...only one truly bad track, but a slew of bland, mediocre fillers all put together to make one laborious album.