Album Rating: 4.0
This album is really good. Some songs can be meh...but they still rock it hard, and some songs just sound more "evil" or "metal", should I say? Especially in The Mountain, Night Castle, Another Way You Can Die, and others. I just saw them last night, and I gotta say, their live performance is 100x better than the recording, and it gives a greater appreciation for the album.
|
Album Rating: 3.5
This review is absent of any understanding of what TSO and it's members are all about. This album is a story of love, tragedy, and redemption. It is not about the joyous season - it is about the paths in life we take and how we redeem ourselves from our less than proud moments in life.
Fun? Well, I guess not - it is a departure from the Christmas music fun they have displayed in the past, but it has a much different purpose as well.
I bought this on Tuesday (release day). I went home, sat in my recording studio, told everyone to leave me alone for a few hours. By the time it was over, I had cried, smiled, and gave thought to some of my own past actions, some with pride, some with shame. The emotional reaction, may have been uncomfortable at times, but it was most definitely strong. This is not a fun story, but so often in life, the fun just isn't present.
I agree about Believe. I do much prefer Jon Oliva's original recording of that tune. But it's nice to re-introduce it to a legion of fans who will likely not buy a copy of Streets.
If you are a genuine TSO Fan, and have seen the past works of TSO and Savatage as a whole body of work, I think you will enjoy this album very much. It is not a "Fun" story, but it is a very hopeful one.
No magic to be found? Anytime John Oliva and Paul O'Neill step into the same room there is magic to be found. This is not an album, it is an experience.
All I ask of you, is believe...
------------------------
Thank you dunphyk. Finally someone who understands. Reading along with the music... it hits you. The story is brilliant, moving, touching, emotional.. honestly I cried too if we're gonna all be honest here. Sure the music in some places is slower, but that's not what this album is about. This album is a story that you have to read and listen at the same time to fully understand. In my opinion, this album goes far beyond the music.
|
