Reviews (3)

Oh Lordy!
People who cream their pants over very average music, :cough: A.Martin :cough:, make it hard for bands who really deserve the credit to get any. Not to say I don't like So they say's full length, no, I actually do. But come on, 5 star reviews should be reserved for that top 1 or 2% who think outside the box and truly deliver a stellar record. Go listen to "don't get lost in a movement" by thefullydown, and then tell me So They Say is of the same 5 star class. Hardly...

Heartfelt sincerity! So great.
When their self titled was released in June 2005 on Fearless Records, I'll be the first to admit I didn't give it a chance. Alas, the disc got buried deeper and deeper my box of promotional CD's and eventually I forgot about them.
So They Say rising stars.
I orginally bought their first CD due to the fact that they had a solid fanbase and i've heard good things of them. I love their EP and this debut album is no different. They are just a great band, i mean they can sing yet they still have some heavy parts. I'd suggest picking up the EP first and then picking this album up. They are diffently a band to keep an eye on.
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Subjects:  1. Emo    2. Pop    3. Post-Hardcore    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop    6. United States of America   

Reviews (34)

some music...
this album is very unique in the world of music. it tends to be very emotional but isn't really emo, because its themes are far from the self-decpreciation and teenangst that emo seems to channel. sleeping at lasts music has all of the sweeping beauty of u2 or slowdive, with some poetic lyrics. definately worth the money i spent.

These guys certainly have something...
...but what?
Amazing music with a great message
Just browsing at amazon.com, I found this amazing record! I was literally knocked-out at the first time I listened to it, and the more I listen to it, the more I get consumed by this masterpiece of music. There's a certain quality in each song, and the lyrics are very clear and sound. If you are looking for a record that'll give you unique songs with a great message, you've found it... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Dream Pop    3. Emo    4. Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop   

Reviews (15)

Good tribute to a great band
If you were a radio sucker like I was back in the 90's, you more than likely missed out on great bands like Modest Mouse, At the drive in, among countless others on the indie scene.Well ATDI is now Sparta and The Mars Volta (for the music noobs).This is an outstanding tribute which holds some of their best elements that helped them craft their relentless sound.Any fan or introductee of ATDI should pick up this prverbial aural encyclopedia of the silohuette of one of the best things that ever happened to rock.

Marred Voltage
With the brain-melting lyrical overload, elongated musical style and impenetrable concepts of The Mars Volta getting more overwhelming with each album, it's getting harder and harder to conceive that Cedric Bixler and Omar Rodriguez once fronted an inciting and insightful punk outfit that generally got to the point in three minutes bursts. Back in the late 1990s before At The Drive-In splintered into the divisive acts The Mars Volta and Sparta, the El Paso outfit acted as a saving musical grace amongst a sea of scripted popstars and nu-metal lunks. While short on proper `hits', This Station Is Non-Operational contains At The Drive-In's explosive peak in the form of One Armed Scissor, rarities such as the quiet moments of Doorman's Placebo and cover versions including Pink Floyd (the Syd Barrett tune Take Up Thy Stethoscope And Walk) and The Smiths (This Night Has Opened My Eyes). Unsure specifically want it wants to be, This Station Is Non-Operational teeters between rarities round-up and record company cash-in, although the sea shanty sounds of Napoleon Solo, the ghostly Relocator and the Suzanne Vega-tackles-reggae sounds of Rascuache show an interesting flipside to the normal At The Drive-In twists. The final ATDI studio album, Relationship Of Command, saw the flashpoint of insurrection serendipitously cause their musical formula to fall into place, with three of the album's tracks and some video clips from the record also making it to the DVD included here as a bonus. Varied and atmospheric, This Station Is Non-Operational is an ominous yet fascinating (final?) addition to the defunct Texans' back catalogue.

One thing to keep in mind...
First of all, I think it's important that you sepperate the fact that yes, At The Drive-In has split into two different bands.If you have heard either Sparta or The Mars Volta's work, you should regard At The Drive-In as a complete and seperate band, because it is.While it's important to know that they started with ATD-I, it's hard to hear it as a new sound if you've already heard the new work.
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Subjects:  1. Emo    2. Indie Rock    3. Pop    4. Post-Grunge    5. Post-Hardcore    6. Punk Revival    7. Rock    8. Rock/Pop   

Reviews (18)

Perfect for the Brokenhearted
There is no need for me to repeat what the others have said, so I will keep this brief.
the undisputable worst band in existence today
If you've heard this CD and are sane to some degree, you would have concluded that Hawthorne Heights have by far the worst lyrics you could find (the same overused phrases and topics that you can always find on crappy hit radio stations), a squeaky singer who thinks he can scream like a death metal vocalist (I dislike yell rock already, but with Hawthorne Heights you can really tell what bad yell rock sounds like), and just plain stupid melodies. Like other reviewers have expressed, I am shocked that anyone would have musical tastes horrid enough to actually like this band. They are the worst of Emo out there. Nearly all Emo sucks, and Hawthorne Heights certainly is no exception. If you want good Emo, look no further than the new Lostprophets CD, and My Chemical Romance if they count. I would think they would. Anyway, don't waste your money or precious seconds of your life on this complete trash.

An honest, non-bias review
You know, I've read all kinds of reviews of this album, but I thought the best review was by a guy who really didnt like the band, but gave a completely neutral review...a true honest interpretation of this album. I am a huge Hawthorne Heights fan. I loved SIBAW and fell in love with all their songs and literally counted down the days til I could buy the new one..
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Subjects:  1. Alternative    2. Emo    3. Indie Rock    4. Pop    5. Post-Grunge    6. Punk    7. Punk Revival    8. Punk-Pop    9. Rock    10. United States of America   

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Reviews (51)

Boycott Victory Records (Not a kid's review by the way!)
Okay first off, Our Gang's Dark Oath was an amazing album I loved it, I still do. Then they moved to Victory Records and I, knowing that all of Victory's bands sound the same, was very skeptical as to what the change in the label would mean for this band. Nonetheless, I bought Nightmare Anatomy and me being skeptical was washed away when I heard Knife Blood Nightmare. I thought to myself, Aiden is back! All of those feelings of thinking Aiden is still making great music were soon washed away when I heard Die Romantic. This was probably the most generic emo songs I had ever heard. While I will admit, it was catchy, I was disgusted by the fact that Aiden had written it. From that moment of the CD on, my feelings did not change, every single song goes into this poppy attempt at having a catchy chorus and not only does it sound cheesy, it shows the band was quite simply running out of ideas. I was offended by the fact that this band had put this CD out. Did they think that their fans are a bunch of idiots and not realize that this is a sad attempt at becoming popular? Anyone who tries to correct me should listen to this: the big craze right now in music is emo. Aiden, a band that WAS NOT emo before they signed to Victory Records BECAME emo. A band that was not emo before becomes emo when the genre is popular. Hmmmmmm sellouts? Ummm yeah! The funny thing is Victory promotes this, which is why I say boycott Victory before they take yet another once-great band and turn them into every other band that is on their label. If not, you guys can watch your favorite band turn into My Chemical Romance Version 4572364578.

very good!!!!!!!!!
I bought this cd after hearing the song die romantic this band is a little genric but it is good!

The pointless ramblings of my mind on modern music
I recentley saw the Aiden and HIM concert in Chicago.I had loved the band HIM for two years and just couldn't wait.Althought my teenage heart did beat for Ville Valo, Aiden stole the show.The music cranked and the band had thousands of people cramming in so close together, all sweating buckets, but happy doing so.I had heard the singles "Die Romantic" and "The Last Sunrise", but they weren't my favorites on the cd.I personally liked "Goodbye Were Falling Fast" and can't wait to see a video for it.All the same, Aiden seems to have jumped on the "slit your wrists and die in the arms of your lover" bandwagon, and I enjoy every moment of it.The screaming and screaching with beautifully dark lyrics puts me to bed every night.I am also very glad I met the band before listening to the cd.I got to talk to wiL for a couple of minutes, honestley the nicest man I have EVER met, and he talked to me about the album and life in general.ALl of those lyrics are written form their hearts, they pour their souls into their work and give so much for their fans. I would have a hard time giving this cd anything other than a five. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Metal    2. American Punk    3. Emo    4. Hardcore Punk    5. Pop    6. Pop-Metal    7. Pop/Rock    8. Post-Hardcore    9. Post-Punk    10. Punk    11. Punk Metal    12. Punk-Pop    13. Rock    14. Rock & Roll    15. Rock/Pop    16. Screamo    17. Skatepunk   

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Reviews (48)

Gloom Pop to dance to!
It is a trade secret. Creating depressing alcohol and broken heart driven theme songs that arn't miserable.Never before have I been so proud to have a mess of a life.With a song listing like : Nose over tail,Clavicle, my little needle, and sothern rock you can't go wrong.I've listened to this album at the beach, in the city and while at home alone in the darkness of my room;and it is great everywhere. inteligent lyrics for a world that is stuck on the Retarded "post punk" style. A must have for anyone who has ever lived a life. ever.

GODDAMNIT! ...what else can you say?
I've been a fan of this band for some 6 years now. From those six years to now, i have changed my musical preferences quite a bit. At 15 now, i can honestly say i have a very wide and open taste in music...mostly hardcore. My music playlist ranges from Dimmu Borgir and at the gates to glassjaw and poison the well to minor threat and Terror to Mineral and the appleseed cast to nofx and bad religion and Tiger Army to joy division and the cure to Radiohead and coldplayto Massive Attack and faithless and and even to some old school hip hop like Run DMC and Public Enemy at times (i hate most rap by the way). But alkaline trio has been a band that i have been listening to since my 11 year old blink 182 days until my much more musically diverse days now. the thing is that i find that this band is just so f***ing cool. There music is so damn catchy and fun to listen to. There lyrics at times deal with relationships, to horror themes to (at some extent) pyromania.
Ok, so it's not "emo"
Honestly, folks. This is not an emo record. This is a pop record, albeit a melancholy one. That doesn't keep it from being bad. Far from it. This album is remarkably catchy and just overall enjoyable to listen to. If you want an emo record, don't buy this (I recommend At the Drive-in or Orchid), but if you want a great pop record, buy this now! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Emo    2. Pop    3. Punk    4. Punk Revival    5. Punk-Pop    6. Rock    7. United States of America   

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Reviews (70)

Alk3's Best
This was the first Alkaline Trio cd I listened to, and in my opinion, it's the best. It really got me into the band, and helped me to get more into punk as a whole.
Nose Over Tail for the Trio
Alkaline Trio are a great band that have gained quite a following with the lil Hot Topic mall punk crowd. On the one hand, it's great that they are getting the recognition they deserve. Alkaline Trio are an amazing band, but at the same time part of me wishes I could go back to the days of seeing them in a small venue again. Anyway, when this came out I was totally obsessed with it. From the first track,Private Eye (sticks in your head for days) to the closer, and my personal favorite Crawl this cd is just one catchy song after another. As I get older, my musical taste has changed a bit, and the cds I loved in middle or high school tend to sit on the shelf awaiting a sentimental listen every once in awhile. But From Here To Infirmary is one cd I come back to again and again. I still know every song by heart and love it the same as I did the very first time I heard it. This is Alkaline Trio at their best, pop punk at its best and one of my all time favorite cds.

.....
speechlesss... every track on this cd is worth the time of listening too.... buy it ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Emo    2. Pop    3. Punk    4. Punk Revival    5. Punk-Pop    6. Rock    7. United States of America   

Reviews (7)

Van's warped tour rocks
the 2006 edition of the warped tour compilation is totally cool, you have great bands like Moneen and Anti-Flag, 51 bands for $8 totally rocks.

Depends on what you like in music
I will confess, this is not traditional punk... but if you're like me, I wasn't that big of a punk fan... I didn't like the warped tour until last years cd.It's a very diverse cd.... it has music such as Relient K that are much less hardcore than normal punk bands, and Underoath, who stomp the [...] out of the punk bands.I like the first cd more than the second cd in the set.
Everything about the music!
I was reading through these reveiws trying to see which songs I should listen to first ( I can't ever just dive into a cd, I need someone to tell me where to start) and I started to get really ticked off. People are complaining about bands not being "punk" enough and the tour having lost its credibility. Well, news flash people. Its about the MUSIC not the LABLES WE PUT ON IT!
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Metal    2. Alternative Pop/Rock    3. Emo    4. Pop    5. Post-Hardcore    6. Punk Metal    7. Punk Revival    8. Punk-Pop    9. Rock    10. Rock/Pop Collections    11. Ska-Punk    12. V/a Compilations   

Reviews (51)

Lousy
A truly lousy record. "wiretap scars" were in many ways briliant but something went wrong with "porcelain". The album give no memorable riffs or chorus what so ever. Each song sound alike and after a while you are really bored. A truly lousy record

Mars Volta VS Sparta
Mars Volta wins.
4 hits out of 10
There are definitely about 4 cool tracks I'd keep for a compilation disk, but the last 10 are only mediocre
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Metal    2. Pop    3. Rock    4. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (30)

Well my Brother was right....again
somehow my little brother is capable of reading ppl and reccomending the perfect song to hook you to any band he thinks is pure genius.Once again all he had to reccomend is "so much beauty in dirt" and I was hooked.Now whether or not this is modest mouse's best doesn't matter to me, this is the cd that hooked me and will forever be my gateway to indie rock with such mastermindes as "The Weakerthans" which I highly reccomend to anyone who liked this album.

drink a beer and throw this on
this is my favortie modest mouse cd, first relized they existed when i heard "float on" which is a good catchy song but in no way reprasents their music. i quciky bought evertything they put out. they are original good humor, good lyrics though a lot is ridiculus.next to the "fruit that ate itself" this is a very short album, but worth it. track three sounds like they just got drunk and played a song. it is very good.the only reason this doesn't get five stars is because the last song isn't as good as the rest and track six is good but too f*cking short... this reveiw sucks but by the album.

Everywhere and his Nasty Parlour Tricks
The great thing about Modest Mouse is that they change their style so constantly, yet unequivocally maintain the music that makes them modest mouse. They range from the consistently brooding Moon and Antarctica, the psychadelic Lonesome Crowded West, the lyrically genius Building Nothing out of Something, and a mix of all three
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Ambient Pop    3. Emo    4. Indie Rock    5. Lo-Fi    6. Noise Pop    7. Pop    8. Rock    9. Rock/Pop    10. United States of America   

Reviews (19)

it is what it is...and its good in its own way.
i got this cd mainly for the whispering song. i heard it on a drive through sampler and my friends and i played that friggin song over and over again in anticipation of the rest of the soon to be released album. the song gave me chills. like stated before...its not that big of a master-piece...but it has a power unlike any that i have ever experienced in a song. its haunting. so...i waited...and waited...and waited...and got the album. i was anxious to get it in my player...and when i did...i must admit i was a little disappointed. not because it sucked...but because the rest of the cd didnt even come close to the song i had come to obsess over. i guess i got too excited and expected too much. but...then i gave it a chance...and...i must say its one of the cds i play in my car during the winter. yes i have winter cds...and summer cds. zebrahead in the summer....this in the winter...something like that. but yeah...if you like the early november....check it out...its a bit slower...and not as produced...but it has the same charm.

Fantastic
This is a side project by Ace Enders of the Early November. It Is a poignant and touching album. Mainly acoustic, it really reaches down and touches you in places much of pop music can't even begin to. It's Ace's signature sound that carries this album. Hs biggest assest is mood. He knows how to set a mood a convey the exact emotion he is feeling. I highly reccomend this album to fans of The Early November, and otherwise.

This is your chance, make it worth your life.
Arthur Enders probably wishes he was writing music for a genre with more devoted followers. Unfortunately, his claim to fame is as the head of mainstream emo band The Early November, the archetypical embodiment of a genre that for me is saturated with some of the more gut wrenching of high school attitudes. Emo's success, especially in the last few years, has been due mostly to its appeal to the layperson; although not exclusively appearing in the seven-CD collections of ninth grade girls, it certainly is getting close. The accessibility is nothing to hold against the genre, unless you're an intolerant bigheaded snob, the ranks of which I am obviously quickly approaching. Emo is rarely something to obsess over (though there are those who are surprisingly devoted to it) and therefore this obscure solo project will remain virtually as underground as can be.
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Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Emo    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop   

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Reviews (35)

Bursting
Vaya is one of those EP's that should have been an full length album. Aside from the debut record, Vaya is ATDI's most emotionallyintense records due to the choatic nature of all those involved. That compiled with the ametuer like musicianship make Vaya that much more intense.
Dude.. FUN!
Welll.... Yea.. This band in general si.. SO FRIGGIN GREAT.. lol.. I notice I dont usually say much about the musci itself.. becuase I dont know much about those things.. but I DO know what sounds good.. and what has great lyrics.. adn THIS MY FRIENDS... falls under that category.

My first ATDI cd... got me hooked on them.
From the first lo-fi beats of Rascuache, to the spine-tingling vocal finale on 198d, this album is seriously compelling.I got this EP after I got hooked on The Mars Volta.The lyrics are compelling.
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Subjects:  1. Emo    2. Indie Rock    3. Pop    4. Post-Hardcore    5. Punk    6. Punk Revival    7. Rock   

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Reviews (2)

Only Two Reviews!?!
Oh my God, this CD is awesome. It completely amazed me. I bought their second album, "The Room's Too Cold," which is really good, and I saw this one at the store for $8, and thought, Why not? Believe me, this one is so much better than their full-length. It will be worth every dime you spend on it, and that's not a whole lot.

No one else reviewed this good album?
Its great, very catch and u will get hooked on it. For all of this is the worst song by far and Every nights another story is the best. Its worth the 7 bucks buy it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Emo    2. Pop    3. Punk Revival    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop   

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Reviews (17)

Great Album
Pretty nice album. The live tracks are great. The acoustic version of "I Want To Save You" doesn't quite live up to the original, but is fun to own. The main reason to get this album is if you are a fan of the band and want a copy of Forget December and Konstatine. Whether you think Konstatine is an amazing song or not, the only album that had it was out of print until the release of this EP. I am a fan of the song and happy to finally get a legal copy of it :)

Konstantine
im 18, just too lazy to fill out the form for the other review page. i just wanted to say that i agree that konstantine is one of the best songs ever. it is definetly my favorite song i have ever heard. they're are so many songs that are amazing and you wish they never end. well konstantine almost fulfulls these wishes. its nine minutes are just enough to make my heart content. i never get bored listening to it....as for the guy who said it isnt perfect. of course its not, there is not going to be a "perfect" song. people are always going to complain about something. but this is close enough to perfect for me.

no... not really
the people below are saying that this EP is worth it just for 'Konstantine', which is their opinion, but still, Konstantine isn't perfect. It's alright, but overlong and uninteresting in part of it. I like SoCo, but still I think Konstantine is not worth 28 bucks for anyone except hardcore fans (inevitably someone's going to come after me trying to say that Konstantine is perfect... don't believe them). The rest of the EP rehashes some of LTTW. My favorite track is the live performance of Straw Dog. Forget December is also pretty good but not great. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Emo    2. Punk-Pop    3. Rock    4. Rock/Pop   

Reviews (7)

ZzZzZzZ
Tell me again how fans of Hit The Lights could also be recommended anything by punchline? Amazon seriously needs to update it's recommendations, because if weezer and fountains of wayne got together and did b-sides, it would probably sound like a majority of the material on '37 everywhere'. I despise weezer, so of course, this is going to be a problem for me. Why do people like this anyway? Can some one tell me whats so great about music that's slow and boring, music that has no energy or character? What truly inspires someone to give glowing reviews to a record that'll put you to sleep in 10 minutes? It must be a trend thing, cuz I just don't see how anyone could sit through '37 everywhere' and say 'wow, that was good'.

Pretty good
I think this album is pretty good.Greg Wood does a great job.However I liked the harmony between Steve Sobasli and Paul Menotiades better [on the Action album].

maybe fate can only take you so far...
I had only heard a couple of Punchline's songs ("Heart Transplant," "Getting There is Getting By") on a Fueled by Ramen sampler CD when I purchased "37 Everywhere" a couple of months ago. Since then I have also purchased the "Action" album and I have been to see them in concert twice!
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Subjects:  1. Emo    2. Pop    3. Punk Revival    4. Punk-Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop    7. United States of America   

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Reviews (3)

The Used
The Used Rock. In Love In Death is one of my favorite CDs that I own and I own like a million CDs. I listen to this CD all the time and I never get sick of it. You should buy it. Every song on it is good.
The Used...In Love And Death
This album is awesome. Here is how I rate each song:
The best cd ever
I Love the Used this cd is so good plus it's got a bonus track witch is allso good. they are a vary good and I don't think people should make fun of them because if you don't like them you should suffer in selince. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Emo    2. Pop    3. Punk Revival    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop   

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• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (14)

Just awesome.
If you want a smooth sound that takes ya away. And I know people talk about this being a christian CD ( Im agnostic ), but it's not imposing. It is good. listen to it and you'll know. Go to allofmp3.com to HEAR LONGER CLIPS than amazon gives you.

Great
The first album by the only Christian band that I listen to. One thing that i love about this band that even though i usually dislike Christian music, i am not embarrassed to listen to. The way that David Bazan tells stories makes the listener feel like they are there with the character. But one must take into account that this music is very downbeat and slow at times, but is also surprisingly beautiful. This music is mostly simplistic with an emphasis on the acoustic guitar, but incredibly powerful. So buy this album, or really anything by this band, because you wont be dissapointed.

songs about finding one's personal path
"The Secret of the Easy Yoke," moved me to tears and I am not a Christian.The honesty, the questioning, the doubt and the belief make this song one of this important band's most powerful statements.Musically simple, but like a great Beethoven melody, has the power to move mountains. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Emo    2. Indie Rock    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop   

Reviews (16)

Amazing
This album is amazing.Anyone can really like this music.It's upbeat, powerful, and at times can rock out.There are songs like Biomusicology which just give you an upbeat awesome feeling or there are the awesome guitar riffs in Stove By a Whale.It's amazing from beginning to end.Let's just say "had i never come across the vastness of pavement", I would be less of a person!

I Love This Album
I absolutely agree with all of the comments made by my fellow reviewers, and I probably won't have anything new to offer hear in my review, but this album, it moves me so much that I just have to add my own two cents. I've known about Ted Leo and the Pharmacists for over a year now, but I never actually heard their music until I saw them live last month at the Cafe Metropolis in Wilkes Barre, PA. The show was spectacular, but Ted's greatness didn't really dawn on me until days later when I started hearing 'Biomusicology' over and over again in my head. As soon as this madness began, I immediately went to my local record store to get 'The Tyranny of Distance', but they were all sold out of Ted Leo cds, so I drove an hour out of my way to the next closest place where I could get it. After finally obtaining the object of my passions, I listened the hell out of it for days on end. Biomusicology and Timorous Me are honestly two of the greatest songs I've ever heard. And other numbers from this unbelievable record like 'Parallel or Together?', 'Stove By A Whale', 'The Great Communicator' and 'The Gold Finch and the Red Oak Tree' are all breathtaking as well. Simply put, Ted's music is so ballsy, so full of guts and glory, that it'll just knock you right out. Definitely check this out.

This record is incredible.
Early summer, 2001.Some friends and I are stuffed into a crowded living room eagerly anticipating the performance by tonight's headliners, Q And Not U.None of us have heard of this 'Ted Leo guy' that is opening up the show, but I figure I should check him out.The members of his band set up and once everything sounds good (enough for playing in a living room), they set down their instruments and walk off into the crowd.The one guy left standing with his guitar steps up to the mic, introducing himself as Ted Leo.He briefly mentions the history of the cover song he's about to play, then jumps right into a solo rendition of Dirty Old Town."This guy ain't half bad, he's got history, which is what most punk rockers don't have today", I thought to myself.Ted approaches the mic before beginning his next song and suggests that the people in the room move closer.I ablige and wind up within smelling distance from Ted."That's my man" he says, pointing at me.What happened next is a little blurry.I'm sure that I remember hearing the opening chords of Timorous Me and I'm sure I remember my jaw hitting the rotting wood floor.Halfway through the song, the other members of his band come back up and flesh out the song for its final reprise.I remember little of their set from that point on, other than the simple fact that my mind had just been blown.I had been privy to some of the greatest songs I had ever heard, songs that would comprise The Tyrrany of Distance record to be released later in the year.The songs were immediate, catchy, intelligent and were aware of themselves.Ted knows his influences.They are Bad Brains, Thin Lizzy and Billy Bragg.The show went on to be a ton of fun with Q And Not U playing two sets.But there was something about that 'Ted Leo guy.'Those songs were just too good, I thought.Within six months, I would find myself physically unable to stop listening to The Tyrrany of Distance and traveling to see Ted and the Pharmacists whenever possible.I've been told that I only like Ted Leo because he's a punk rocker.That if he didn't come out of the hardcore punk scene, I wouldn't pay notice.In one vague sense, that is essentially true, because if Ted weren't a punk, this music wouldn't exist the way it does.This record is the most perfect synthesis of his pop, punk, protest music and dub/reggae influences that I could ever imagine.This is the best record that Lookout Records has ever put out.Yeah, it's even better than THAT one...All I can really suggest is that you do yourself a favor and get this record any way possible. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Emo    2. Indie Rock    3. Pop    4. Pop Underground    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop   

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Reviews (11)

AWESOME!!!
randomly decided to check out what rating this awesome band got, and only a 4?? theyre definitely a 5!
If u like fast rock, GET THIS!
This is THE BEST CD i have gotten so far, my favorite songs are Exit Emergency and Elephant and Castle. They have awsome riffs, and a great voice. I think what really puts it all together is the Piano, because no matter how hard the guitar is you can hear the piano/keyboard. I'm not an audiophile, nor a major critic, but if u like bands that play fast rock, thats not too hard, this is your match. AND To all the parents out there wondering if this CD is appropriate for their kid even if its not explicit, IT IS! There is no horrid lyrics AT ALL! the only mild language u hear once or twice is h**l or D**n [...]

Good, but lacking something
Houston calls is a pretty good band, and this cd is pretty alright too, but it isn't worth more than 3 stars. Alot of the songs tend to sound the same, and the lead singer has kind of an annoying voice. "exit emergency" and "Bob and Bonnie" are the standouts here. If they'd take a few more chances and mix it up a little bit, houston calls would be one of the best bands out there. they have the potential, they just need to take some more chances. This one's only for avid DTR fans. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternative Pop/Rock    2. Emo    3. Pop    4. Punk-Pop    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop   

Editorial Review

Every holiday season produces at least one hip alternative rock Christmas CD. For 2002, it's Read more

Reviews (24)

An Alternative Christmas
Yet another Christmas compilation, but this one stnds out thanks to the unique choice of songs and performers.Most of the songs on this album are traditional for the holiday season: "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" performed by Barenaked Ladies with Sarah McLachlan, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" sung by Jack Johnson with his trademark beach sound, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by Coldplay, and many others.But it also throws in a few new songs: "What A Year for a New Year" by Dan Wilson, "Snow" by Celtic songstress Loreena McKennitt, "121/23/95" by Jimmy Eat World," and "Bizarre Christmas Incident" -- which is a bizarre little story -- by Ben Folds, among others.This is a great addition to the holiday music catalog, bringing a fresh update to older songs and introducing quite a few new ones.