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Lostprophets
The Fake Sound Of Progress


4.5
superb

Review

by hybridofsound USER (37 Reviews)
January 14th, 2005 | 201 replies


Release Date: 2001 | Tracklist


Lostprophets - The Fake Sound Of Progress

Released:

Band:
Ian Watkins - Vocals
Lee Gaze - Guitar
Stuart Richardson - Bass
Mike Chiplin - Drums
Mike Lewis - Guitar
Jamie Oliver - Decks/Vocals

The Lostprophets are a group of six twenty somethings from Pontypridd in Wales. Since their creation in 1997 they've made a big impact on the international scene. This album is a truely huge achievement considering it was originally recorded and put out by the band with their own effort. Colombia records picked the band up in 2000 and re-released the album.

The standout point of this album is the musicianship. Lee and Mike have a great guitar combination. They go with a traditional lead and back-up guitar set up. Lee plays melodic beauties (For Sure) and can go to full metal riffs (The Handsome Life Of Swing). The drumming throughout the record is excellent though the drummer shows his abilities for on the new album 'Start Something'. The bass in this album is one of it's strongest points. Stuart plays great bass lines in nearly every song and the songs '...And She Told Me To Leave' and 'Five Is A Four Letter Word' are great examples. The vocals are great. Ians voice is very melodic and he changes his style throughout the songs. On songs where Jaime screams and Ian sings the mix sounds pretty good generally. The lyrics are pretty well written. They cover relationship issues 'For Sure' too friendships lost 'Shinobi Vs Dragon Ninja' and summer 'Ode To Summer'. It's not a very angsty album and it's better off for it.

I can only find a few negative things in this album. The most obvious is the scratching. Jaimes transition to piano on the latest album 'Start Something' seems like a smart one. It's not that he's a bad DJ it's just some of his scratching seems alot out of place. It makes me think of DJ Lyfe on Incubus's S.C.I.E.N.C.E. Another point is sometimes Ians voice seems a little strained in places 'For Sure' and '...And She Told Me To Leave'. It's an experience thing and he's grown out of it now. The final issue is sometimes in a chorus where Jaime screams and Ian sings the screaming doesn't quite flow with the song. The points though are all minor and hardly take away from the enjoyment of the album.

There are several great tracks on the album. 'For Sure' is a melodic beauty and one of the albums strongest tracks. There is a few hardcore songs aswell such as 'Kobrakai' and 'The Handsome Life Of Swing' which is the albums hardest song. There are no two songs that sound alike here which is a major bonus. From the epic sounding 'The Fake Sound Of Progress' too the laid back 'Still Laughing' and then the electronic enthused 'Awkward' you will be hard pressed to find any songs the same. All the songs here are well written in terms of musicianship and lyrics. Some standout lyrics are on the tracks 'Ode To Summer' and 'The Fake Sound Of Progress'. "Remember what it was like to enjoy our time? Before we all go back to school and learn, before our eyes turn blue and grey again and we forget what it was like to ever feel awake" Ian sings on 'Ode To Summer'.

Overall The Fake Sound Of Progress is an album of few flaws and a great mix of hard rock and nu-metal elemtns. The vocals are well done throughout the album and considering this was originally released with no major label support it's a massive achievement. If you've heard the singles 'Shinobi Vs Dragon Ninja' or 'The Fake Sound Of Progress' and you enjoyed them, this album is worth a definite listen.

Rating: 4.5/5



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Comments:Add a Comment 
Damrod
Moderator
May 12th 2004


1093 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Nice review of a nice record! :thumb:



I really like it (though I must confess I have not listened to all songs yet, I heard 7 of 'em). This album seems a bit 'rawer' compared to 'Start Something' and a bit harder. Like Hybrid already mentioned, Ian shows some flaws in his work as a singer that he left behind on Start something.



Nonetheless, nice piece of music. And as soon as I find the CD here in a local CD store I'll get it.

SOADfreek
May 12th 2004


1 Comments


Shinobo vs dragon ninja is the best on this album! (Out of what ive heard off the album

sting-ray
May 12th 2004


92 Comments


alright i gotcha covered

MazMan
May 13th 2004


16 Comments


I think Kobraki is their best, and Still Laughing behind that.

wheelz
May 13th 2004


60 Comments


this cd is much better than their newest i think.

the handsome life of swing is awesome.

Damrod
Moderator
May 26th 2004


1093 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Ok, I got the CD last week, and I must confess I'm a bit disappointed.



The CD kicks off with a good start. I like both "Shinobi..." and "The Fake Sound of Progress". But after that... The best on most songs is the Chorus, with the long stretched melodic vocals (on most songs at least).



The saamples and scratches are overdone IMO, and are more present as in the songs I heard on the net (demo versions I persume). Ok, the guitar work sounds better on some places, but mostly, the demo versions were better. A lot of the riffs sound pretty similar too. Maybe I have to give it some more listens, but till now I have a hard time to distinguish the tracks from each other. And usually, I do not have that problem after a week of owning a record...



It's still a nice record, but personally I like 'Start Something' better.



That's a 3/5 for me.

incubliss
July 28th 2004


116 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

the "demo versions" you got from the internet was the independant release. that had 16 songs i think. all the little tiddly bits at the end of some of the songs were used as songs on their own.



i think it's a great album, not as happy go larry as Start Something, but still better.



4/5

incubliss
July 28th 2004


116 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

no they didn't, they just added some of them to the end of songs.



i'm sure they are the same.

Arucard
August 22nd 2004


581 Comments


kobrakai is a classic and so is ode to summer. i was well pissed when i bought start something and heard it cause its just so so different and i honestly think its just empty and emotionless comapred to this. theyre new album is a classic sell out to be honest

Arucard
August 23rd 2004


581 Comments


lol why do u disagree im open to whoevers opinion man

iliketoplaydrums1011
August 23rd 2004


1 Comments


Shinobi one has a real catchy riff, Good review

Bartender
August 23rd 2004


826 Comments


I like the first two songs here, but after that I didn't enjoy the album.

theclash91
August 24th 2004


12 Comments


shinobi vs. dragon ninja is my favorite song by them

nice fa by the way

Arucard
August 24th 2004


581 Comments


yeh i can get the jist of what ure saying iai, but i have actually met lost prophets and watkins is an *** man. i had no problem with the rest of them, but he got on my nerves slightly cause i got them to sign this ticket and he was like oh man, ive got nothing to do do i have to do this but the other guys were talking to me about what i played and stuff.
and i do agree the riffs are more mature and theyre music become more 'complex' but i just dont see them as that kind of band. fsop was about what they felt this is kinda just like, our music is more compl;icated than yours
but once agen i have no problem with ure opinion

Arucard
August 24th 2004


581 Comments


i do kinda prove my point though look at dinrod
he heard start something first and he only likes the two start something type songs on fsop

elmodman
August 24th 2004


6 Comments


this is one of my favorite cd's.:thumb:
but i disagree with calling this band nu metal. i would say that they are
punk :confused: with metal and hip-hop elements

more punk than metal

Damrod
Moderator
August 25th 2004


1093 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

[QUOTE=88_Fingers_Joe]i do kinda prove my point though look at dinrod

he heard start something first and he only likes the two start something type songs on fsop[/QUOTE]



Thanks for misspelling me... ;) :thumb:



I must admit FSOP has grown on me over time, and I like the record a lot actually now... Both are good records, both have their highs and their lows.



I think in the end it comes down to what kind of music you want to listen to: more mellow stuff (Start something) or the bit harder line (FSOP)

Arucard
August 25th 2004


581 Comments


i have to agree with you there
shame that they have such a following of little children though when i went to see em it was all mini moshers

splashfreak
August 25th 2004


196 Comments


Nice review. I liked some of Start Something (I don't like the songs with tons of screaming), so would I like this album more or less, do you think?

Arucard
August 27th 2004


581 Comments


probably less as this album is alot harder hitting with quite alot of heavy songs ie. a thousand apologies



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