I got in to Northstar by listening to their second album Pollyanna, Northstar come from an area in Alabama where punk isn't the thing to do and country is, but Northstar got in to punk, in part because they wanted to be differnt and didnt want to follow the crowd, though this album lacks producing and sometimes you can't even hear the singer in my mind it's still a classic, the catchy lyrical poetry combined with Nick's great singing make this album one you need to check out.
Track Listing
01. Rigged and Ready
02. Is This Thing Loaded?
03. Broken Parachute
04. My Ricochet
05. My Wishing Well Deisease
06. Taker Not a Giver
07. Daybreak
08. Train Hopping in Dixieland
09. Cinderella
10. Black Heart Valentine
1. Rigged And Ready
Starts off with a pretty soft but at the same end punky guitar riff, eventually smooths into this albums conversial one single, this song flows the best on the album, even though it does remind more of their more critcally acclaimed second album "Pollyanna", this song has a few bumpy parts, at times i think this song could have been a little shorter if it was going to be the albums single, this song is filled with catchy lines "I Wish I Was Missing", "I know she perfect hostage in purple". The end of this song is great:
"Dogding Broken Down Satlites
Mending my beating jawline
Last night i stayed in the car all night, i saw her die three times last night"
Great song, but not fit to be a single. 9/10
2. Is This Thing Loaded?
Kind of sounds like the same guitar riff that you started out with in rigged and ready but the drums are differnt, you'll find in this album the songs guitar riffs sound simillar, but the songs lines are unbelievable even though it doesn't flow as well as rigged and ready the chrous in my opinion [which many northstar folks might disagree with] is better, by know you get there promblems,
"Do you know what its like living life for oh no reason,
so forget the feelings so few have, she says have,
*** you and the relationship we once had"
Good Follow-up 9/10
3. Broken Parachute
The first time I heard this song i knew it was going to be one of my favorites of all time, the lyrics are brillant, Northstar finally gets the perfect guitar and drummer chemistery, it's just a great song.
"It's not fair, I know somewhere are life won't be like this
Pouring out the poison with a kiss on the bottles lips
Sing La-da-da-da"
If you look at the La da da da at the end of the chrous you might not like it but when you hear but it really accompanies well the sing a long this song is supposed to be, it sounds like a Alabama song, but don't get me wrong its not country, this song ends with Nick beautifully singing lines about how he wants to be famous, the way he puts him together is great. 10/10
4. My Riochet
One of my favorite opening to a song, the song doesn't wait 30 seconds to start the singing it comes right after you with lots of catchy lines, after catchy lines, and the chrous is great also.
" you threw up my best kiss but you never noticed"
This is a song of up and downs because after that point the chrous just gets repeated and repeated and so do the other lines, but still its a good follow up to the classic "Broken Parachute". 8/10
5. Wishing Well Diease
One of the slower openings to this song, which I don't really like because it seems like the catchy lines have left, but Nick and crew somehow put this song together to flow well, which I respect it for, still not one of my favorites. 8/10
6. Taker Not A Giver
Classic. The way Northstar piles together line after line in this song is unbelivable.
"If you get the chance to wipe that glare off your face
French Kiss My fingerprints, and leave it in the alleway
Defenless yet so violent, princess of divine
Your Ugliness is right on time
And i know i was never beautiful enough for you"
Thats how it starts off and flows into a chrous that goes through a impact sucide scence, this song is unbelevable that with this tough of a topic it doesn't get off key.
"And ill be the king of the sky
and you can wonder were i land
i'm falling faster into a wonderland.
Northstar Bounces Back 10/10
7. Daybreak
Starts off with a awesome riff, followed by the lyrical talent off Northstar again, but this proves why Northstar needs a producer to produce this album the lyrics are sometimes hard to hear, and after a while it gets annoying, the chrous singing "Will you catch a daybreak?" is saying will you ever have anytime for me? At this point Nick knows he getting cheated on but he turned on himself, another good theme and another good song. 8/10
8. Trainhopping in Dixieland
Kind of a soft song, but unbelievablevy this song is one of my favorites, I only discovered it a little later than the other ones, this song is really hard to get into but if you listen to it more than once especially the chrous you can see the progress and maturity this album is taking.
"Hey, Green Eyes i'm going blind
And i cant wait forever for you
And I cant wait Forever for you"
8/10
9. Cinderella
The coolest song of the album comes here, describing how Nicks or one of the members in Northstar girlfriend wants to be princess or perfect.
"Well maybe I try this time
And for my friends tonight is for all of them
And someday you'll be mine someday"
Keeping hope the next lines move and flow slowy into the chrous comes up and your thinking, Wow another good song?
But then it turns to classic?
With nick screaming like cinderella, and it moves into a fast pace were done breakup song, wow that part just takes your breath away thats how good it is. 10/10, love it.
10. Blackheart Valentine Pill
Least favorite song, because well it just doesn't sound like a NS song but it has great drums and clever guitar, the lyrics just dont match up to the other songs, not a big fan, but not a bad song. 7.5/10
Positives
Guitar Riffs
Lyrical Talent
Great Songs
Negatives:
Not well produced if produced at all
Cant find in music stores.
