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I reviewed this for my school's newspaper, so tell me what you think
This is the type of music where ignorance thrives. Unknowledgeable people flock to the boring, trite post grunge from the likes of Puddle of Mudd, Nickelback, and Hoobastank. They find comfort in the repetitious power chords and the uninspired lyrics about watered down teenage angst. Unfortunately, this ignorance is running the current mainstream music scene.
The worst flaw a band can have is to lack innovation. Hoobastank does nothing for post-grunge, alternative rock, or top 40 pop/rock. They simply rehash what they've heard and what has generated them their platinum-selling success. While this is definitely going to pay their bills, it's ultimately going to leave their listeners feeling empty and looking for another band to fill their stereo.
Chances are most people interested in this album came from the self-titled single, "The Reason". This track is an ordinary, bland rock ballad. Douglas Robb generated these embarrassingly generic and cliched lines: "I've found a reason for me, to change who I used to be / a reason to start over new, and the reason is you". While there is nothing wrong with a love song, there is something wrong with a love song filled with a fourteen-year-old's poetry. It really is just an insult to the listeners intelligence that Hoobastank finds the need to dumb down their lyrics to this level.
Instead of wasting your time and my time, I'll summarize the rest of the record with a few broad statements. All tracks consist of power chords and amazingly simple song structure. All the songs are also filled to the brim with adolescent anger/love/confusion based lyrics. Here are a few key excerpts: "Where should I go? What should I do? / I don't understand what you want from me", and my personal favorite "I need to think / I need to feed / I need to see if I still bleed". The reason I've put such emphasis upon the lyrics of Hoobastank's release is that, sad to say, they are the highlight of the disc. It's because they are infinitely more interesting than the crunched power chords littered throughout nearly every chorus on every song.
So, instead of spending your hard-earned cash on Hoobastank, look around for something new. Maybe go towards the edgier, originators of indie/grunge the Pixies. Specifically, look for the Pixies sophomore album Doolittle and the tracks "Debaser", "Wave of Mutilation", and "Here Comes Your Man". If you're more interested in a band with pop sensibilities and a brighter tone then look no further than the Super Furry Animals. Their most recent release, Phantom Power, is full of bright upbeat pop/rock songs including the fantastically catchy "Golden Retriever", "Slow Life", and "Hello Sunshine". Or maybe look into the aggressive indie rock of the Constantines, or At the Drive-In's influential hard hitting compositions, or the quirky indie pop of Modest Mouse, or the unclassifiable/experimental TV on the Radio, or even the psychedelic Flaming Lips. Let's use the failure that is The Reason and turn it into a chance to find something new and innovative.
Thanks for reading.
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Excellent and true review. They've gone beyond the poor man's Incubus and decided to ditch any originality for favour of more radio play. The first album wasn't the most original music ever but I could listen to the whole cd more than once. This album is uninspired. Doug is a terrible lyricist. Dan's a decent guitarist but any innovation's polished off by the production. Bass and drums are likewise consumer-friendly. They're decent enough live (saw them 2 years ago at a club and 2 and a half years ago opening for Incubus) but whether or not a band can play live doesn't justify buying a cd.
In short, your review is fair and I agree with it completely. :thumb:
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I don't like the fact that you shilled another band...I don't know...to me, if you want to plug someone else, do a review on them...but I digress
I bought their first CD when it first came out...and while alot of the lyrics weren't exactly great, it was a decent CD...I hate the title track of this one, however...and I hate even more how idiot high school girls are putting it up all over the place about some idiot boyfriend they won't have for more than a few months. Yargh. I did like Same Direction a bit, but it's not that good...
Guess I won't be buying this one
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[QUOTE=The JoZ]I don't like the fact that you shilled another band...I don't know...to me, if you want to plug someone else, do a review on them...but I digress[/QUOTE]
Yeah, normally I wouldn't suggest replacements, but since this is for my music-ignorant school I figured its necessary to get some good names out there.
Thanks for your replies 
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Although I, as well, didn't like the new music, a song-by-song review would have been helpful; see the others that are posted up here...Otherwise, it was a decent representation of the album...
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Sorry, I didn't do song-by-song because I wrote this for the school newspaper...not MX :/
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Song-by-song reviews are very overrated IMO. The review is good as it is. :thumb:
Only thing: A rating would be nice. (like in the other reviews, X out of 5)
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[QUOTE=Damrod]Song-by-song reviews are very overrated IMO. The review is good as it is. :thumb:
Only thing: A rating would be nice. (like in the other reviews, X out of 5)[/QUOTE]
12345 :thumb:
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[QUOTE=Damrod]Song-by-song reviews are very overrated IMO. The review is good as it is. :thumb:[/QUOTE]
Yeah, but if you just write an entire review, you make it look a little TOO professional, and then someone realizes that you've plagiarized all your reviews. But that wouldn't happen again, now would it?
Also, I can't stand this band anymore. Their bass was good on the first album, but where did it go? Their singer looks like he has Down's Syndrome, so I'm reluctant to make fun of him for something he can't help. All I know is that MTV won't stop playing that video for "The Reason." Gah!
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All I know is that MTV won't stop playing that video for "The Reason." Gah!
Too true
*shakes fist*
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Yeah, I have the self titled Hoobastank and it was a decent album. I was dissapointed by this album. Though "Out of Control" is an amazing song, the only other song I found good was "Same Direction." The Reason is just...ugggh.
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[QUOTE=YDload] All I know is that MTV won't stop playing that video for "The Reason." Gah![/QUOTE]
Neither will the radio stations. "The Reason" has to be one of the worst songs I have heard in a long time.
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I like the video for The Reason, but the song = teh suk0rz.
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[QUOTE=ZEROthirtythree]Neither will the radio stations. "The Reason" has to be one of the worst songs I have heard in a long time.[/QUOTE]
:thumb:
Friggin hate that song...everyone is like 'like teh omg'....gah!
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[QUOTE=underwaterguitar]hoobatsank=posers in the category of the folowing bands:simple plan, yellowcard, story of da year, siwchfoot, good charlotte, 3 days grace.
The guy has a huge lisp that sounds terrible[/QUOTE]
First off, 3 Day's Grace is not pop-punk or anything
But more importantly, you've disgraced the rest of these bands (except GC) by comparing them to Hoobastank
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I had the misfortune of hearing "The Reason" on the radio while my CD player was between tracks. Luckily it didn't stop me from enjoying "The Trooper," or otherwise I'd have to murder the radio.
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I give it a 2.9/5
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The album is boring.
I borrowed it off of a friend, listened to it...
I dont know what people call music these days, that hunk of crap sounded like all the other music out now; no substance.
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[QUOTE=YDload]Yeah, but if you just write an entire review, you make it look a little TOO professional, and then someone realizes that you've plagiarized all your reviews. But that wouldn't happen again, now would it?
did he plagarise one of his reviews?
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btw this is more nu metal than alternative rock, most alternative music is creative
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^^^^^
It is not nu-metal at all. Trying to put them there makes you sound like an idiot.
What is it with people and good music? They always claim that if it is too simple they hate it. So? Simple is good. And besides, they aren't even that simple. Yes, the Reason has been played WAY too much on the radio, but that doesn't make it a bad song. It only gets played because a ton of people want to hear it, which they do.
Hoobastank is not a rip-off of incubus at all. They don't really sound anything like them.
And yeah, the lyrics aren't great, but if we get rid of every band that has bad lyrics, we are left with:
Lastly, Hoobastank sounds friggin awesome.
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