Review Summary: This is the Golden Age.
In our history, we have no "Golden Age". The term usually refers to a high point in a period of time. During a "golden age", there is most likely a long period of peace, harmony, stability, and prosperity. Greeks label breakthroughs in metal work throughout time golden ages. Sometimes we personally go through golden ages. There was one point in my life, and it lasted 50 minutes. I thought it was a golden age. It carried my ears away on an emotional journey. It changed my taste in music for a very long time. It had the exact name for it, also. It was called "The Golden Age", by the band Cracker.
The album opens up with the apparently angst-saturated "I Hate My Generation". It certainly is an explosive introduction to the record, opening up with power chords that lead us into a cathcy guitar lick. The writing on the song doesnt tell much about its meaning, other than hatred for people that one had grown up with. The choruses that scream "its alright" dont make the track much better. Its a good song, just not the best of what we have to come.
The third track on the album, "Big Dipper", is a beautiful five minute long ballad of love. It opens up with a slow paced guitar riff played over piano chords. The lyrics flow into each other very nicely, and the vocals are loud and clear, so every word is heard. The fifth track, the title track, opens up with a beautiful intro, with guitar riffs over other stringed instruments. The writing was quite decent on this song, but it certainly makes up for that with catchyness and a beautiful outro. Definitely one of the better songs from the record.
The sixth track, "100 Flower Power Maximum", is one of the heavier tracks from the album. The explosive intro carries you along with the relentless guitar riffs. The song is quite short, and includes some punk influences in it. The intense outro wraps the song up in a nutshell and throws itself right at you. The following track, "Dixie Babylon", is the longest song on the album, clocking in at a little over seven minutes. It opens up very softly, with a very simple drum beat, and a peaceful and soothing guitar line. The song creates a sad atmosphere, with emotional vocals and lyrics. The choruses appear to suggest having "intercourse", but who likes that kind of thing? The song has a very dramatic outro, with tremolo stumming and cellos over the same simple durm beat. Most songs of this length would probably bore you, and with the softness of the track, it would strengthen that idea even more, but it definitely is not the case here. Especially when your writing a reveiw while listening to it. Just flies on by...
My personal favorite track off of the album, "Sweet Thistle Pie", opens up with soft riffing over a kick drum. The song then begins to pick up with a harmonica, then explodes into power chords with a woman wailing over the intensity. The writing during the verses isnt too bad, but can get a bit repetitive with the line "its been a long time since I had sweet thistle pie". It goes into the choruses with the same wailing woman and the same power chords expressed in the introduction. The song ends on a nice note, a solo!
"I'm so f***ing sick, I'm the king of the world" opens up the punky "Useless Stuff" its a fairly short song, no longer than two and a half minutes. The guitar solo its quite catchy though, which brings the song up. Not much to say about the song, except its quite catchy.
"The Golden Age" is definitely one of the greatest alternative album of the 90's. Most people who i know that have heard this album dont think of it how I see it. There is absolutely no filler, even though i have not mentioned a few songs. The only song that has possible potential for a filler track is "Useless Stuff". You might not enjoy this as much as I did, but some of the songs here are really hard not to enjoy.
5/5
Recommended Tracks:
I Hate My Generation
I'm A Little Rocket Ship
Big Dipper
The Golden Age
100 Flower Power Maximum
Dixie Babylon
Sweet Thistle Pie
