Some people are so determined to hate Delonge no matter what, this album will probably never get the credit it really deserves. I tried to grade it from an unbiased point of view. I really tried.
Angels and Airwaves is:
Tom Delonge - Guitar, Vocals, Composer (ex-blink 182)
David Kennedy - Guitar (ex-Boxcar Racer)
Ryan Sinn - Bass (ex-Distillers)
Adam Willard - Drums (Offspring, ex-Rocket From the Crypt)
Alternative/Stadium Rock
From San Diego, California Angels and Airwaves (“AVA” for short (the “a” in “and gets capitalized and flipped upside-down)) released their debut album “We Don’t Need to Whisper” on 5/23/06. Although Tom claimed this would be the “best rock and roll music in decades,” and many people thought him crazy, AVA is certainly not a band to be ignored. Delonge’s pop punk melodies have evolved into beautiful musical creations full of actual meaning (yeah, I said meaning) and inspiration. If you’re expecting some pop punk, emo (this band has been incorrectly dubbed emo by many unbelievers) crap from AVA, get ready to be amazed.
1. Valkyrie Missile (6:39)
This is definitely AVA’s “flagship” song as correctly called by Delonge. The only letdown in this song is the over long but enjoyable intro full of haunting organ riffs and electronic space “signals.” The track could effectively start at the 1:06 mark, but the intro does give you some idea of what to expect from the rest of the album. The big programmed beats during the real intro are effective and catchy, but the first real emotion you get from this song is sort of an empty, falling feeling from the second part of the first intro at 2:15. Like Tom has said, it sort of makes you feel like you’re flying. Through the verses, the lyrics are about the idea AVA is trying to present, supported greatly by Willard’s drumming. The drums themselves give this track meaning. The verse kind of picks you up, and you are ten dropped into the choruses, which consists of only bass and soft drums. You’re once again thrown into that flying section after that, and the second verse follows. More lyrics about “hearing my message” from Delonge, and that drop off choruses hits. Don’t get me wrong, the choruses are great, it’s just the feeling they give you. The outro might be the best part about this track. I, for one, would describe it as nothing less than epic. A high, keyboard-like riff sets you up for a roller coaster of a guitar riff, full of octave chord sliding and solid drums. If you ask me, this is by far on of the best tracks on the album, and the only one I’d choose to open it with. This track had better be a single.
5/5
2. Distraction (5:36)
Another great track, definitely deserving of second on the record. It has a great electronic styled intro, but a little long clocking at 1:09. Near the end, the drum role turns into a hard hitting mini-solo which leads into the first chorus where Tom screams “I’ll be your distraction.” That’s on of my favorite quotes from the album. Tom explains the choice of words in an interview with Kerrang, where he sets up the statement. “It's about being somewhere that's totally destroyed and you look to the one you love and say 'I'll be your distraction.”' Some people have called this song boring and redundant because of the “let-down” chorus, but I really this that phrase repeating makes a good point. Even in the most grotesque places, love still exists. The verses are lyrically masterful, with huge programmed beats and hand claps in the background. The outro consists of the huge programmed beats, a great electronic riff and Tom repeating “I’ll be yours”. For this track to be fully understood, you need to close your eyes and picture the images Tom’s painting in your head. I think you’ll be surprised at the masterpiece he has created both audibly and visually with this anthem of a song.
5/5
3. Do It For Me Now (4:33)
This is a better taste of what the rest of the album is like than Valkyrie Missile, although this is another stand-out track. Reportedly the second single to be lifted, “DIFMN” features a simple palm muted not from the guitar through out the song, referred to as the “morse beat.” The song builds around this one simple beat, with superb drumming from Willard and a good bass line from Sinn. The only notable guitar found in the song besides the chorus is another simple palm muted riff that is scarcely audible. The drums and bass really carry this song. The lyrics from Delonge are some of the best found on the album, and really make the song enjoyable. The chorus is another epic moment for AVA, as the predictable beat falls into an intensely interesting minor staged riff with arguable the catchiest vocals on the album. The melody line alone during the chorus is worth noting, although it is nothing incredibly creative. The chorus also features some great organ style keyboards providing the harmony line to Tom’s lyrics. This is one that everyone at the shows won’t be able to help but sing along with, because of Tom’s last wish, which is that you do this with him. The electronic song is nothing less than superb.
4.75/5
4. The Adventure (5:12)
Well, I have to say, The Adventure, the first single off of We Don’t Need to Whisper, was kind of a let down for me. Of course, before hearing the rest of the album, I thought this song was absolutely stunning, nothing short of the best thing I’ve ever heard. But compared to the rest of the album, The Adventure is not even really a stand-out track. The only reason this song was made into the first single is because of it’s early leak to the musical world, and is not really a good visual of what AVA really is. I will say, however, that the song contains some of the best guitar work on the album, and the main riff is awesomely catchy. The song starts off with the long, drawn out intro we’ve come to expect, with more programmed beats layered beneath the stock guitar riff. The song’s high point is found in the first main riff, which bursts from the dullness of the intro. It’s probably one of the best guitar lines Delonge has ever written, and that’s saying more than you think. The drumming in this song is outstanding, with a fast paced bass and hard hitting snare through out the verses and a slow, hard hitting lick during the choruses. The bass is nothing spectacular, but it is solid. The lyrics are outstanding and create a sort of story line of life a new day to live. Watch the short film at www.angelsandairwaves.com, it shows a new side to the song. The choruses go back to the stock riff with Tom singing “Heyo, Here I am, Here we go, Life’s waiting to begin.” The climax is found when Tom begins singing “I cannot live, I can’t breathe unless you do this with me,” with a great bass line behind him. The outro is once again epic sounding with ringing power chords and a high pitch guitar with tremolo. The song fades with a good palm muted riff. Not all it’s cracked up to be, but it gets the job done.
4/5
5. A Little’s Enough (4:45)
You’re in for a treat with “ALE” as we realize the potential of the organ. The organ’s intro riff is haunting, and the first off beat guitar sound catches you off guard, and you are flung head first in a minor pitched anthem about how God would react if he came down to Earth. The guitar work, once you think about it, is surprisingly sufficient, and the bass carries this song very well. The drumming found in the pre chorus and choruses themselves is once again outstanding, as the beats really bring this song to life. Once the heavy tom makes you realize this song isn’t all going to be slow, you are left stand on an open plane of a chorus, during which Tom sings the answer to all your sadness is just a little love. The lack of guitar really makes the chorus worth listening to, and the interlude is great, too. However, the best parts about this song are certainly the choruses, which are beautiful in every aspect. The organ takes us out at the end, ending one of the most meaningful songs on the album, definitely a stand-out simply for the choruses.
4.75/5
6. The War (5:07)
This has to be the best song on the album, hands down, and there are some real good tracks on here. The intro gives you illusion that this going to be another slow, sing-along type song. How misleading it is. The main riff smacks you in the face unlike any other song Tom’s ever been a part of. The big beats and the low tuning creates a hard hitting effect that, at first, leaves you breathless. Tom has said that while writing this song and recording, he was trying to create the sound of thousands of soldiers marching on your face. The effect of this song is actually a lot like marching, but it also gives you this anthmetic, heroic feeling. The main guitar meshes with the drums fantastically, and is easily the best guitar track on the album. The verse lyrics are good, and the music work is decent, but the chorus is the other main highlight of this song. It builds off of the main riff, and when combined with Tom’s fitting lyrics, it turns into one of the best choruses on the record. The crowd pleasing comes in with the interlude, with the “Oh oh’s” and the clean guitar octave chords. The power chords in the main riff are the highlight of the album for me, and if I have to recommend one track from this album, it would certainly be this one. Close your eyes and just listen to this one.
5/5
7. The Gift (5:02)
A quietly staged song with a nice palm muted guitar riff and some excellent drum work and a great feel to it. The verses aren’t particularly strong, but the pre chorus and chorus are great. The pre chorus especially has kind of a groove type feel to it. The guitar work suits the track well, and the bass blends in to its surroundings so well, you barely notice it. Also, one of my favorite lines of the record appears in the chorus of this song, when Tom declares “I’ll stop the storm if you rage.” That line, for whatever reason, always sticks out in my mind when I think of this song. Tom’s break-down “Yeah-oh” part is pretty cool to, and near the end of the song, you can really feel the emotion in his voice as the song comes to it’s end. All in all, the drums are definitely the best part of this great song made only passable by the rest of the fantastic album.
4/5
8. It Hurts (4:14)
This is the second song officially released by AVA and is one of the more rockin’ tracks on the album. The stock sounding opening riff leads nicely into a breath of fresh air of an intro. It’s nothing really out of the ordinary for Tom, but he’s found a new twist again and That’s just the beginning. After the slow paced intro, everything except the bass drum drops out of the song for sixteen beats, and we hear Tom say once, confidently, “It hurts.” The song then explodes in a “War” like riff, that’s heavy and uplifting all at once. The redundancy of the title through out the song is the song’s only downfall. The lyrics are now what to expect from Tom, but this is more of an old Tom song lyrically. The verses are catchy as hell, and the chorus sort of continues from the verse. The best chorus on the album (other than The War) in my opinion. This is also the only song on the album with a not-so-enjoyable interlude. Where you would expect to “Oh’s,” you get an unintelligible jumble of lyrics, and live, these vocals are simply murdered. Afterwards, however, the musical bridge is interesting and enjoyable, and the ending vocals add to the feel of the song. Tom’s harmonizing near the end of the “It hurts” makes the song a real stand-out. One of the best on the album.
4.5/5
9. Good Day (4:30)
This is the second song that was leaked before the release of the album. At first, the rumor was the song wasn’t even going to be part of the album (it did seem quite lacking compared to the previously released “Adventure”). This is the underdog track of the record. The softest the album gets, but the lyrics are spectacular all the way through. The soft guitar riffs layered through the song really make it grow on you. The whispering at the beginning sets the stage very well for the bass and electronic powered verse. The pre chorus drumming fits perfectly, and the computer generated effects mesh and hold the song together. The quiet first chorus causes you to be thrown back into the mellow pre chorus and then the louder, more anthmetic chorus. This chorus sounds triumphant and grand because of all the instruments coming and working together perfectly. The breakdown is another highlight, and the last chorus stands out amongst all the other choruses on the album. Ryan Sinn really shines in this one. Without his energetic bass line, this song would be nothing. Like I said, this one’s the underdog. Don’t expect much recognition for this softer track.
4.5/5
10. Start the Machine (4:10)
This is the perfect song to end this album with. It sums it up beautifully and accurately, combining all the things found through out the record into one last majestic yell. The intro keyboarding was done with a toy piano Tom bought for his daughter AVA. It sends chills down my spine every time I hear it. This is another bass track, and the drums aren’t at their best on this track, but they do their job. The programmed beats are once again a big part of this one, and make the verses much more enjoyable than they would have been without them. The lyrics are all about Tom’s split from blink, and the lyrics are some of the best on the album, probably THE best. This track shows how even quieter tracks can be extremely powerful if done right. You barely even notice the absence of any guitar until the bridge because of the incredible vocals and catchy melody line. The climax of the song is reached during the lyrical interlude, when Tom starts repeating “If love’s the word that you say, then say it, I will listen.” The power of this song is hard to put into words, but it’s absolutely the second best track on the album. I can’t find fault in it.
5/5
Overall, the album is, in my opinion, almost everything Tom said it would be. I think it certainly has the potential to be huge, and its message of love being the answer is capable of doing incredible thing in the lives of people everywhere. There’s something for everyone in this CD somewhere, you just have to look to find it. This is Angels and Airwaves. What you do with it is up to you.
4.75/5
Pros:
Lyrics
Powerful Drums
Energetic Bass Lines
Cons:
Some redundant spots
Some people are so determined to hate Delonge no matter what, this album will probably never get the credit it really deserves.
Stand-out Tracks:
The War
Valkyrie Missile
Start the Machine
Distraction
A Little’s Enough
Do It For Me Now
