 | Tracklist:
1. Cracks in the Surface
2. The Effect
3. Defend Atlantis
4. If I
5. White Flag Warrior
6. By the Time You Get This Message...
7. Airplane Mode
8. Whip$ and Chain$
9. Good Soldier
10. Superhero
11. Infatuation
12. Panacea for the Poison
Release Date: 2010 | |
| | other reviews | Jacob Royal (4)
With the politics world reversed since their last album, Flobots find new ground emphasizing their m... | Nathan Flynn (2.5)
Armed with more verbal barbs, Johnny 5 takes aim at authority but takes too many shots... |
On 4 Lists
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| Summary: Rise Against's "Hero of War" as a hip-hop album. Stay far away. |
2 of 2 thought this review was well written
“Handlebars” had the quickest turnaround from entertaining summer song to bane of my existence that I think I have ever witnessed. It was played ad nauseam on every radio station due to its ability to fit into both rap and rock crowds, however the album Fight With Tools itself showed a band with a couple good ideas that were ultimately undone by their own belief that they are “the one voice of the people.” The problem with that belief is that it creates a delusion of grandeur that surrounds the album, sucking some in, and shoving others away. The messages on Fight With Tools were so heavy-handed that it took people out of the music but not in a way that made them think; it either made people more pretentious in their beliefs or it pissed people off because they disagreed.
Now on to Survival Story. Largely the same as their major-label debut, the Flobots stick to the formula in which they are most comfortable, except at the same time trying to add a sense of “epic-ness” which, for the most part, fails. The first four tracks fly by with nothing to grab at your attention, as it seems that most of the ideas are being recycled from their debut, with slight changes. The production also makes the entire thing seem so overly manufactured. The only time that something interesting is thrown at you is the Tim McIlrath appearance on “White Flag Warrior,” which was probably set up at their PETA meetings.
Also, lets get this out of the way; not one member of the Flobots has any sense of flow. Whenever any of them steps up to the microphone, what comes out is monotonous, with no sense of the beat around them. On top of that, the lyrics that come out are so straightforward that it feels like listening to Air America Radio for fifty minutes. Metaphors are nearly nonexistent because they would do nothing but get in the way of bludgeoning you with their message. Easily the worst song on the album, however, is “Whip$ and Chain$” (I c wat u did thar) which hilariously combines terrible vocals and lyrics with one of the worst excuses for a beat that has been heard in recent times.
As it all comes together, this album comes off as Fight With Tools part two, with an even greater sense of pretentiousness. The indie-hip hop combination is mashed together awkwardly, something that their debut actually did pretty well. The album sacrifices easiness of listening in favor of trying to make every song grand in scale, and as a result, the album keeps tripping over its own shoelaces. If you enjoy having linear views shoved down your throat by way of awkward rapping, then this album is the one for you, but for everyone else, this is just another sub-par hip hop album.
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| Recent reviews by this author | | | |
Album Rating: 1.5
Album is so, so bad
Digging: The Horrible Crowes - Elsie Digging: The Horrible Crowes - Elsie | | |
A HEEEEEEEROOO OF WAAAAAAR
IS THAT WHAT THEY SEE
Horrible song.
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Enjoyed their debut, but this sounds awful
Handlebars will always be awesome though
Digging: Cloud Nothings - Attack On Memory Digging: Cloud Nothings - Attack On Memory
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Yeah this is really bad. Good review.
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Aww man, are you serious? I really enjoyed Fight With Tools a lot, so this is pretty crushing. I think I'm gonna give a listen anyway. Good review, even though I don't agree with everything you said about the band.
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CAUSE IT'S THE FLAG THAT I LOVE
AND THE FLAG THAT I TRUUUUUUST
Digging: Buckethead - It's Alive
| | | Album Rating: 1.5 | Sound Off
I agree. Pretty good review as well. There were some parts where I had a good chuckle. Pos
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Hero of War wasn't that bad a song and they did great with the video. Egh, whatever. Don't like this band so I'll avoid.
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Some of these lyrics almost make me positive that they're fucking with us.
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I HAVVVEN'T HEEARD APPEALL TO REAAASON YET!
Digging: Kate Bush - Hounds Of Love Digging: Kate Bush - Hounds Of Love
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Good review. I heard that Handlebars was really good from someone back when it was popular, but I didn't really see that when I checked it out. Doubt I'll bother with this, especially since this seems to be even worse.
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I CAN RIDE MAH BIKE WITH NO HANDLEBARS NO HANDLEBARS NO HANDLEBARS!
Never liked this band, the amount of acclaim they got baffled me.
| | | Album Rating: 1.5 | Sound Off
I CAN RIDE MAH BIKE WITH NO HANDLEBARS NO HANDLEBARS NO HANDLEBARS!
Moar liek, i push u off ur biek wen u ried it wiht no handlbarz
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You stole my negative review.
| | | Album Rating: 1.5
I sincerely apologize
NANAH NANAH BOO BOO
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Did I mention to you guys that I can, in fact, guide a missile by satellite?
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AND I CAN END THE PLANET IN A HOLOCAUST
Digging: Foxy Shazam - The Church of Rock and Roll Digging: Foxy Shazam - The Church of Rock and Roll
| | | Album Rating: 2
IN A HOLLYCAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUST
Digging: Crocus - Our Memories Dress Me In A Dead Lust Digging: Crocus - Our Memories Dress Me In A Dead Lust | | | Album Rating: 1.5 | Sound Off
What the fuck is with their idea for hip-hop instrumentals? Who the hell stood up and proposed, "HOKAY GUISE, LETS PUT ELEKTRUK GEETAR, VYOLEN, TRUMPIT, AND DRUMZ TOGETHAR AND C WUT WE GET"?
Better yet, who thehell allowed that person to stand the fuck up and say that, without saying "Sit down you stupid cock"?
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fight with tools was decent. i was hoping they would step it up with this album. oh well. pos'd
Digging: Boris - New Album Digging: Boris - New Album
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