Album Rating: 3.5

Leitmotif is great

Album Rating: 3.5

If feel this album is an attempted fusion of El Cielo and Catch Without Arms, where it is a concept album having lots of experimental/progressive elements (Pariah, Quotes, Down To The Cellar, Stamp of the Origin: Horizon) and also have a mainstream/pop feel (Information, Ireland, Gathering Pebbles, I Don't Know)

Album Rating: 4.0

Yes, you nailed it. This is what I mean by self-conscious. It's a serious, well-thought, well put together album, and then they throw in tracks like Information (which is actually a pretty decent song) and Saviour (which is terrible) to push it back towards the mainstream a little bit.

Album Rating: 4.5

dredg signed to Interscope before releasing el cielo, so your timeline is a little off. You seem to be a fan, but isn't it a bit presumptuous to claim to know the band's intent for writing each album?



Besides, it doesn't make sense that they would stray from the sound of el cielo to appease their fans....as you are probably aware, most of their fans want them to return to the sound on el cielo. I think the band has always written for themselves, and they have never been content to settle into a comfortable niche. They have experimented and progressed with each release, and I hope they continue to do so. el cielo was my favorite as well, but that doesn't detract at all from my enjoyment of this release or Catch Without Arms.

Album Rating: 4.0

Okay, I admit my erroneous chronology. Nevertheless, Catch Without Arms saw a rise in popularity

for the band comparable to a major-label debut. The Bug Eyes music video was played regularly and

they even made appearances on various television shows. Please forgive my confusion.



Writing The Delusion was to appease their fans. Nowhere did I say that writing Catch Without Arms

was written with the same intention.



One wonders--I wonder, anyway--if this is the album that Dredg would have written had their fans

liked Catch Without Arms a bit more...and thus there is a lurking artificiality to it.



But thank you.

Album Rating: 4.5

Sorry for focusing on the negative - you wrote a great review. I just took issue with your claims about the artificiality of this release. I've always admired their creative evolution, and Dredg has never struck me as being insecure enough to compromise that for their fanbase. Maybe we'll just have to disagree on that.

Album Rating: 3.5

surprised you got to this one first, nice job for a first review. I actually like this album, and am also a fan of Catch Without Arms, don't get the slack these two records get. I am also a fan of Leitmotif and El Cielo too tho, so take from that what you will

Album Rating: 4.0

PaperTigers: We agree to disagree, then. This is only a minor issue for me and I do love the album. I

just think it would be far better without the pop songs.



CrazyFool: Thanks!

Album Rating: 4.5

The Pop vs Experimental debate is far too dramatic.

I found El Cielo hard to listen to at first, but now I love it.

Catch Without Arms was easy to listen to at first, and I still love it.

So far, this album does seem to be a mix of the two concepts, yet it is a solid piece of work by itself, with one major exception...



Tracks 9 through 11 create a gaping hole in the album!

Album Rating: 4.0

album is awesome...very top-heavy, however...it's like they wanted to impress, then said they'd be coldplay to initiate the bad portion of this album, then return to form from cartoon showroom on (tho i do really like I Don't Know)...Ireland, Pariah, Lightswitch, and Quotes all rule the school...

I think that this album is brilliant, but then again I didn't really get into El Cielo.

Album Rating: 4.5

On first listen, album is impressive

A 4.5? Damn John, I definitely didn't think this was that good. I loved the first track, but El Cielo just kills this imo.

Agreed. This is a 3-3.5 for me (for right now). Not sure if I should pick up catch without arms or not.

If you enjoyed this then you'll probably enjoy that too

Album Rating: 3.5

Iluvatar - After Catch Without Arms came out, they played on Kimmel and on some MTV program, so I think they were more popular (at least in the mainstream) after Catch Without Arms came out. Yes the CWA was popular because of the El Cielo but I'd say it was more popular since they performed songs f/ it on those shows

Album Rating: 3.5

Does anybody feel this way? Does anybody feel like I do?



Oh, and I love El Cielo too, but one thing that bugged me was Gavin's voice, its hard to describe but I'd have to say it kinda sounded like he was singing into a pillow or something, but I'm glad his vocals have been improving with each release

Album Rating: 3.5

Hmmm...my favorite album by them is 'El Cielo', but the song I listen to most is "Ode To The Sun." I would pick this up today, right now, but I've got no money...

Album Rating: 4.0

Good review.

Album Rating: 4.5

Pariah is too short! the song is still great, almost as great as Lightswitch :P