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    3
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    February 11, 2016
  • Last review
    July 19, 2017
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    3.7
 
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Mike's Reviews
 
MOSAIC [CD]
MOSAIC [CD]
 
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
These "old dogs" deliver the goods, and new tricks
on July 19, 2017
Posted by: Mike
Verified Purchase:Yes
Hard to believe, but 311 have been at it for nearly 30 years, and with this exact lineup since 1991. Despite early criticism that all of the band's songs sounded alike, they have honed their unique fusion over the years so that no two albums are the same. While a few albums (311 and Universal Pulse come to mind) seen to have a uniform style throughout, I believe the band's strongest work tends to be the ones that are every bit as eclectic as their influences. The Omaha-reared, LA-based veterans' latest is maybe their most musically diverse since their 1997 masterwork, Transistor. Some of the band's most mellow (Island Sun), intense (Too Late), and uncharacteristic (the tracks produced by first-time collaborator John Feldmann) can all be found here. This album is unusual for the band as it's the first time they have worked with songwriters outside of the band. It makes for a unique experience, and shows that these stalwarts still have tricks up their sleeves. Rest assured, while 311 may have a couple of songs that may rise your eyebrows (Til The City's On Fire comes to mind), they have continued staying true to themselves and delivered one of their strongest releases to date.
My Best Buy number: 2190499756
My Best Buy number: 2190499756
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Life Is Good [CD]
Life Is Good [CD]
 
Customer Rating
3 out of 5
3
Good album, may need some time to grow
on July 19, 2017
Posted by: Mike
Verified Purchase:Yes
Once again, Flogging Molly has evolved and shaken up their formula. The straight-ahead Speed Of Darkness left a lot of fans wondering what happened to the group's Celtic punk sound and why frontman Dave King sounded awfully American on many of the tracks. Well, the Celtic-influenced sound is much more front and center on Life Is Good, with many songs tending to be driven by the violin & banjo and also often sounding more folky than they have in the past. One noticeable trade-off is that the energy level on these new tracks seems to be dialed down a bit. But then again, King is in his 50s these days so it's not likely we're going to get a whole lot of Drunken Lullabies and Black Friday Rules from him these days. That said, Life Is Good is a very worthy addition to the Flogging Molly catalog and recommended for anyone who appreciates what makes this band unique. If you're just starting out, I would probably say that you would be better off checking out Drunken Lullabies or Within A Mile Of Home first.
My Best Buy number: 2190499756
My Best Buy number: 2190499756
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Hold My Home [CD]
Hold My Home [CD]
 
Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Very solid and refined effort
on February 11, 2016
Posted by: Mike
Verified Purchase:Yes
The fifth album from Cold War Kids (which came right on the heels of their previous effort, Dear Miss Lonelyhearts - about a year after its release, which happens very seldom these days) finds the band largely staying within its comfort zone, with a sound that is occasionally anthemic, lyrically engaging modern rock. This album, largely due to the success of the song "First", is certainly going to grow the audience of a band that has toiled away for a pretty good amount of time. The eccentricities that were found in spades on earlier efforts are scaled back drastically, and if there is any criticism that could be made of this album, it's that the sound is somewhat indistinctive ... not completely lacking in originality, but also not completely standing out either. Hopefully in the future the band can revisit its earlier sensibilities and combine them with the wisdom and life experience that they have gained since then. That said, Hold My Home is a worthy addition to the Cold War Kids catalog, and definitely recommended to anyone who enjoyed the song First and wants to get an idea of what the band brings to the table.
My Best Buy number: 2190499756
My Best Buy number: 2190499756
I would recommend this to a friend!
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