Mercury Records 2010The problem with most super groups is that the sum very rarely equals the whole. Usually you end up with fan's of one group or another upset that it sounds too much like band X and not band Y or Z. With the Damned Things you have members of Anthrax, Every Time I Die and Fall Out Boy playing the role of "super group". I'm in the rare position of having heard and listened to all three bands (when you have a wife and a pre-teen daughter who prefer "popular" music you end up having a lot of interesting music in your Itunes). My first impression of The Damned Things was that they sounded a lot like radio metal bands with some classic rock thrown in. I guess they are supposed to be a throw back classic rock kind of band. Yeah, I can see that. But honestly I could really hear the rhythm section of Fall Out Boy in this album. As I said radio rock. It amazes me that people are hailing this as an awesome rock record. It is more rock than true metal which is weird to say with Scoot & Rob from Anthrax involved. Don't get me wrong Rob does a good job on the production giving it a gritty retro rock sort of feel to it. But even after repeated listens I still felt like I was missing something. It never rose above just being ok for me. It just felt too much like what every other radio rock/metal band is doing these days to me.
I understand your position. I just like and respect it when a group of musicians from different backgrounds can come together, by stepping out of their comfort zone. This album "Rocks" in it's unique way, where you are not getting blown down nor bored to sleep. It's Rock that can chill "me" and I'm down with The Damned Things.
ReplyDeleteWith that said... I don't own a Fall Out Boy album! I don't know if that's good or bad. ;)
- Stone
Oh, it's probably good. I don't mind good old fashioned rock. It could be Fleetwood Mac,U2, Dire Straits,etc. And I'm not toatally down on current "rock" bands. I do like some modern ones like The Killers (snickering is ok). But this album to me while it may be rock I just found it less than inspiring. And even with one bad ear (long story) I could pick out the guys from Fallout Boy a mile away. And before someone tells me I don't understand real modern rock I've got just about everything in my collection.
ReplyDeleteUnderstandable... I couldn't pick out the "Fall Out Boy" sound like you, (I honestly never listened to their music)... now I'm worried I might like that band if I did listen to them! :(
ReplyDeleteU2 is probably the greatest "United Nations Band" of all time... I've seen them live twice back in the mid 80's during their heyday... before they became billionaires that spoke their mind on what's wrong with the world.
- Stone
I did see Dire Straits on their "Brothers In Arms" tour, back in '85. They played for two hours and it was one of the best concerts I've ever witnessed. I really wish I saw this band more than once. Mark Knopfler is a favorite of mine... his last solo album "Get Lucky" is fantastic. I know this sounds silly... but a "juggler" opened up for Dire Straits when I saw them live. A juggler.
ReplyDelete- Stone
I just don't think the world has to begin and end with heavy metal. While I love the genre (it was and is always my first love-sorry Heather!) I also love rock,punk,ska,etc. Variety is the spice of life and death!
ReplyDelete