Hello, my name is Mitchell Benson and this is my first review. I'm from Norfolk, Nebraska and I stumbled upon this band we like to call System of a Down about a year ago and it's been pure joy ever since.Ii've loved everything they have ever done from their first self titled to
Hypnotize. But i've chose to review
Steal This Album! because I feel like it has received an unfair rating and reviews have been somewhat untrue. But all reviews have been somewhere to close to the truth, not saying they are wrong, I'm just going to add my views on this album. Now, on to the album.
Chic 'n' Stu
Very nice track. Crazy and quirky. It starts out with Daron singing, and then it comes in with Serj singing about pizza toppings. After that the song runs into a part that is very catchy and my favorite bridge or chorus (whatever it is). It sings "me theropy, theropy, advertising causes me" and then after a bit, Serj goes into a very soft melodic add on to that part, then you hear feedback and it goes back to heavy and finishes the song out nicely.
Innervision
Good song. It starts out with a distinctive bass but with the entire band, but you can hear the bass. (at least I can). Serj starts singing and it almost seems like he's asking someone for help, or guidence. He's trying to look into himself to find the right thing to do. Or so that's the way i've interpreted it. This is one of the songs that actually says the name in the song. which is nice, because many bands don't do that now. Then it goes into a bridge that is very nice, it says theres only one true path and it leads to all is to one. Take it for what it's worth. The drums in the bridge sound like that of the intro to "Chop Suey"
Bubbles
Very catchy. My favorite song on the album. The bass and guitar and drums and ultimately the voice seems to blend to make this unblevable mesh of songwriting ability. Serj and Daron really combine in the chorus to make this awesome sound and you can really see how Daron evolved into the songwriter he is now. The bridge is very cool saying may I remind you over and over. We're left with no arms in the power struggle is the main part of the chorus. Now, I've thought about it and I think it could be that soldiers have been abandoned in war and are just left to struggle and get out on their own time and left with no assistance. But that's just me, and that's what System is famous for: mind puzzling lyrics.
Boom
Very, very, very, political. Maybe the biggest stab at the government other than the blunt "F*** the System". Very nice bass intro, and then Serj goes into an intro just talking. It's very interesting what he's saying, you'll have to look up the lyrics or listen closely to what he says. Very inspirational. The "booms" in the chorus is very catchy. If you don't know what this song is about, watch the video and you will know what it is. The bomb is like, well. just that: a bomb. If you're new to System, this will automatically tell you about their views on war and politics. They aren't too fond of what's happening. All in all, great track.
Nu Guns
Cool little track, showcases Daron's ability like everything else that they have played. He is a master of the guitar. (lonely day, lost in hollywood, b.y.o.b. anyone???) The new guns could possibly be mabye war? politics? global misunderstanding? Believe what you will, it could be any one of those. But yes, very good vocals. Then there is this truly incredible instrument playing in the bridge, two of them I believe. I've been told it's a sitar????? I do not know. But still very intruiging and cool.
A.D.D (American Dream Denial)
This song is kind of portraying the change between goals in America where as it used to be a hero or a fireman to now just being somewhat of a success. And talking about the happenings in this war. Or any one for that matter. Serj is pretty much talking for everyone when he says he doesn't give a f*** about the government. Or, what he says at that moment. The line, "you change the channel then you change their minds" is very interesting. This could be the fact that most of our conversations or knowledge of what is going on in the world, is based on what we see on TV. If you don't watch TV, you don't know what's going on. So, yes. Good, solid track.
Mr. Jack
Another favorite of mine. Maybe Mr. Jack is a bum or a homeless person. But yes, very interesting, the lyrics that is. And the intro, in it's entirety, is very good and an awesome way to start off a song. The verse seems filled with a bass sense or just very mellow and not many high notes. Mr. Jack is beside the freeway in a car, so say Serj and Daron. In this song he gets arrested with "little men with big guns, at seven a.m" as told by in the bridge. at the end, the cops arrest him with Serj screaming "PUT YOUR HANDS UP! GET OUT OF THE CAR!" and Mr. Jack retaliates with a couple "F*** YOU PIG! F*** YOU PIG!"s. Oh! I forgot there is a first part to the end which is also nice.
I-E-A-I-A-I-O
Nice intro with john playing a cool beat, then it goes into the beginning with the bass just roaring and screaming. The verses are all tounge twisters. Decrypt them if you have the time, the chorus is so catchy I find myself singing it when I get up in the morning, very good track. The chorus almost sounds like a chant and a war reference with the part that says "WHY! and we light up the sky" also a good solo thrown in there. With Shavo playing right with the drums, Serj goes on to say these just random things like "bicycle shoe strings, plutonium wedding rings, bubbles erotica" good track.
36
Obviously the shortest of System's teachings. A direct stab at the media and television. Asking people if they will live at their own pace.
Pictures
The chorus that says "I've got pictures on my mind". that is pretty catchy and cool at the same time. The part where it says "fear waits, for us. The present can be sealed. Away gold dust, now the dations??? Can be cleared." That part is very good, and there is another part to that. But very good altogether. The song as a whole is very good, ipod worthy. And it goes right into the next song seamlessly.
Highway Song
Good song, gives a feeling of on the road or something. Like a sense that it's out driving or a feeling like that. Serj spits out lyrics with complex meanings, I'm still not sure what they are yet, but that's for you to find out. Serj askes the listener or the person in the song if they want him to try. To try what? I'm not sure yet. Very cool song. A guitar comes in at one part that almost sounds like bells. Serj says that maybe his days are never coming back or something of that nature, maybe to say we've wasted our time here and we're never going to get those times back.
F*** the System
The intro almost sounds like the guitar gets sucked up. Serj gets extra crazy on this. spitting out some unrecognizable lyrics. Except the very clear, out standing " war, f*** the sytem. war, f*** the system f*** the system." Good song, in the verse he says he's just a man in the back. Maybe to say what the average joe has to say about many subjects. The bridge is short but still very good.
Ego Brain
Good song, the album tends to get mellow towards the end of the song. But still good. Serj and Daron say that life is like a dream on a string as to say it's so fragile it could be gone in an instant. Then in the chorus they say that his world is going to crumble but no one will notice, supposedly and just look away at the destruction to a man's dream and hard work. The chorus is to me the best part of the song and my favorite part.
THETAWAVES
Good intro, so far a solid song. Serj talks about a chain of events that occurs with one thing that has an effect on another. The chorus is very melodic and well done. Best on the album in chorus wise that is. "Time feels like a midnight ride, finality waits outside, weeping in perplexities arms, corresing our smiles in song" that's the chorus, you have to hear it to make sense of it, the ending goes right into the next song.
Roulette
Very good song, I love this one. I have it on my mp3 player along with the entire album. The chorus is cool with "I know how I feel when I'm around, I dont know how I feel around when I'm around you" very cool solo that comes in. Just a voice and guitar in this one, then maybe a cello in the background I believe. In the end, I believe this is the song you might skip to. If anything.
Streamline
Good song, great way to end an album. The "I wasnt there for you, is really cool. Mellow, but turns into a hard and heavy song. Good guitar and all this cool stuff added into a cool song. Serj sounds like he's preaching to the listeners. It's pretty cool.
All in all, great album. I believe it wasn't given a just review the other times. But this is what i think thank you all for listening. A must have for system fans.
