Alright, I finally get to review the album that shook Finland, a #1 debut on the Finnish charts.An album by the prodigal group of three from Finland, who call themselves "Poets" of the Fall.One of my personal favourites - 'Signs Of Life'.
I daresay this debut was as path-breaking as Linkin Park's Hybrid Theory (2000) .Each track in the 51-odd minute album is a marvel in itself.And that is precisely what I like about PotF- no song is boring! It is very common to see artists nowadays placing their best work upfront or towards the end of their album, with the mid-section filled with stuff they aren't sure of. But The Perfectionists, as I like to call them, are certainly not guilty on that count!
Each track is so well-made, so greatly taken care of, that you can feel the love and care the band have for their music.This is not just something recorded for the sake of it, ripped apart on their post-production PC.This is Music for the sake of Music, the best kind !
I have always admired Marko for his vocal skills and aim to be like him one day, and after listening to Signs Of Life even you'll know why. He usually uses a lot of Falsetto for singing and that has now become his trademark, but that doesn't in any way mean that he can't do a full-throated performance!
Alright-
SIGNS OF LIFE -------- *********o [9/10]
A biggie, Lift, is up first.Vocals are absolutely perfect.Song structure-standard and spot on.Great solo.All in all, ingredients for a superhit, which it did become!
Sing this correctly and you have something in you for sure.Don't skip out the exceptionally difficult Reverb effect of singing, which I myself use a lot, much to the annoyance of my band-mates ! But that's what'll happen if you sing for many years in Hindi and make a switch to English later.It's a totally different ball-game.But the prior sense of rhythm and melody lingers on and needs to be discarded.Or should it? Wouldn't be a great way to create a wonderful fusion? That is left to be seen.
Don't miss the double-handed tapping technique used by Olli in the solo.Watch the video to get a glimpse.
Next up is Overboard.Another great track (this album is full of them, so don't fret if I get repetitive!).Good use of layered vocals for complementing the lead lyrics.I've tried this out in one of my yet-to-be worked-on poems, but have no clue how to go about it!
The chorus is very good and so is the bridge.The instruments are typically in the shadows while vocals take the limelight.The listener will absolutely get into the scheme of things with this album.Not something that's heavy, yet so Rock.
The "You are incomplete...." stretch towards the end is to die for!
One of my all time favourites, Late Goodbye, comes up next.Their first single, this song was the theme of the game Max Payne 2 and what catapulted the band to a larger audience.The lyrics are extremely hard to decode, forgive me! Almost all of their songs are.Seems like the only ones who know the true meaning, or story behind the song are the Poets themselves.
If you don't believe me, check out the numerous forums on the Internet debating what the meaning of a particular song really is!
Something heavier, Don't Mess With Me, is a run-of-the-mill Rock song, according to me.Nothing new, quite ordinary.I know people who regard this track very highly, but not me.
The intro vocals to 3AM by Marko are drool-worthy.In an otherwise gentle and soft song, it stands out.Like almost all songs by the Poets, this one also has the characteristic "Me talking to You" type of lyrics.This is presumably about a couple sharing a night together, when something apparently goes wrong just before dawn [3AM!] and the singer is asking his lady love "We seemed alright at 3AM,what happened now?What's bothering you? Please tell me! "
A smashing guitar intro to Stay, glues the listener to wait for it.
What is 'it' ? A full-throated chorus of "Stay ! I need you here for new day to break! ". Songs like these invariably make you hum along with it, and that's where they've won it.
Seek You Out continues the trend set by the last two tracks, with similar musical style and influence.
I like the chorus very much, as it packs in a great deal of meaning, though different to each individual- "I'll seek you out, to find myself, and I'll worry 'bout consequences later.."
Another great acoustic intro to Shallow, a continuation of the light-hearted soft Rock music that has been going on for quite some time.Some elements in this song would have been better done without, but no complaint.It's their song, and it's good to listen to!
The defining moment of the song- "Glad the waters are so shallow, when the river runs so cold..."
A definite shift in gear.Everything Fades brings in high octane drums and guitar after a suggestive vocals-only intro.This song brings us to a harsh reality, the fact that everything eventually is forgotten in the pages of time. Good deeds, forgettable experiences, humiliation, memories and even love. The Bass is far too aggressive on the bridge and I love it!
Woah! Back to soft music, eh? Someone Special is one of the tracks which I include in "Tracks that teach you how to love". The melody is beautiful, almost a lullaby to a happy & dreamy sleep.Fills you up with hope and a lot of positive energy. This song beautifully describes a truth which most of us have experienced at some point of time.That someone special is always there,waiting for you, maybe in an obscure place, a place where you feel it is least likely to meet someone.A place where you least expect, there's someone special !
Illusion And Dream is an interesting song.Almost a dreamy music floats throughout the song, lending the name credibility.The chorus, once again, as most PotF songs is the high point of the song.It takes a while to realise that the song is really about the dishonesty in this world where everything is make believe.About the lies people sell and the illusions that they create.
After the song ends, there's a statement which I absolutely agree with - "With Silence comes Peace,with Peace comes Freedom, with Freedom comes Silence".
Sleep brings us to the end of this 12-track masterpiece.Piano-based, it has a soul-wrenching tune that complements the perfect words.A song filled with torment,pain yet which oozes so much love, this is not to be missed.End of story.
You could listen to this album front to back without a single hitch and undergo a transformation.The range of emotions blend in flawlessly through their words into your mind and from there, straight on the highway to your heart.
I'm telling you, mark my words.These people are going to be legends someday.They seem to be flawless! Especially their words, portray so much, so clearly, that it's an honour to be able to experience that.They are every composer's dream.A 9/10 for that.Exceptional work.A Best Debut Album at the Emma Awards just proves my point.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NEWS:
1.KoRn's The Path Of Totality has a date - December 6.Waiting for it.
2.Fred Durst has tweeted fans to "get ready for a sweet Limp Bizkit announcement".One can only wonder what that is about.My guess- the Autotunage video or if we are lucky, Gold Cobra Part2 !!
3.Even Mike Shinoda has revealed that there'll be some huge Music For Relief and Linkin Park announcements.Waiting for the LP announcement.
4.The biggest news yet.The mystique of Orgy has finally come to an end.In a recent statement from Julien-K members and ex-Orgy guitarists Ryan Shuck and Amir Derakh, they had always been ready to devote time to Orgy projects,shows if and only if it had the original line-up, which included Jay Gordon, Hailey Page and Bobby Hewitt apart from Ryan and Amir.
It seems Jay had vested interests to use the name 'Orgy' to his benefit and rope in Amir and Ryan to cash-in on their popularity.To say it straight, an Orgy re-created with new members and old members deceived for gaining the fans' attention.
All I can say is that it's good all this came out in the open.To quote my friend Vanessa Silva," 'We Are With You' guys.... ", which is also the name of their new album coming 23.01.2012.Waiting for that too.
Next Week: An intriguing Three Dollar Bill, Yall$ by Limp Bizkit
I daresay this debut was as path-breaking as Linkin Park's Hybrid Theory (2000) .Each track in the 51-odd minute album is a marvel in itself.And that is precisely what I like about PotF- no song is boring! It is very common to see artists nowadays placing their best work upfront or towards the end of their album, with the mid-section filled with stuff they aren't sure of. But The Perfectionists, as I like to call them, are certainly not guilty on that count!
Each track is so well-made, so greatly taken care of, that you can feel the love and care the band have for their music.This is not just something recorded for the sake of it, ripped apart on their post-production PC.This is Music for the sake of Music, the best kind !
 |
| Marko Saaresto |
I have always admired Marko for his vocal skills and aim to be like him one day, and after listening to Signs Of Life even you'll know why. He usually uses a lot of Falsetto for singing and that has now become his trademark, but that doesn't in any way mean that he can't do a full-throated performance!
Alright-
SIGNS OF LIFE -------- *********o [9/10]
A biggie, Lift, is up first.Vocals are absolutely perfect.Song structure-standard and spot on.Great solo.All in all, ingredients for a superhit, which it did become!
Sing this correctly and you have something in you for sure.Don't skip out the exceptionally difficult Reverb effect of singing, which I myself use a lot, much to the annoyance of my band-mates ! But that's what'll happen if you sing for many years in Hindi and make a switch to English later.It's a totally different ball-game.But the prior sense of rhythm and melody lingers on and needs to be discarded.Or should it? Wouldn't be a great way to create a wonderful fusion? That is left to be seen.
Don't miss the double-handed tapping technique used by Olli in the solo.Watch the video to get a glimpse.
Next up is Overboard.Another great track (this album is full of them, so don't fret if I get repetitive!).Good use of layered vocals for complementing the lead lyrics.I've tried this out in one of my yet-to-be worked-on poems, but have no clue how to go about it!
The chorus is very good and so is the bridge.The instruments are typically in the shadows while vocals take the limelight.The listener will absolutely get into the scheme of things with this album.Not something that's heavy, yet so Rock.
The "You are incomplete...." stretch towards the end is to die for!
One of my all time favourites, Late Goodbye, comes up next.Their first single, this song was the theme of the game Max Payne 2 and what catapulted the band to a larger audience.The lyrics are extremely hard to decode, forgive me! Almost all of their songs are.Seems like the only ones who know the true meaning, or story behind the song are the Poets themselves.
If you don't believe me, check out the numerous forums on the Internet debating what the meaning of a particular song really is!
Something heavier, Don't Mess With Me, is a run-of-the-mill Rock song, according to me.Nothing new, quite ordinary.I know people who regard this track very highly, but not me.
The intro vocals to 3AM by Marko are drool-worthy.In an otherwise gentle and soft song, it stands out.Like almost all songs by the Poets, this one also has the characteristic "Me talking to You" type of lyrics.This is presumably about a couple sharing a night together, when something apparently goes wrong just before dawn [3AM!] and the singer is asking his lady love "We seemed alright at 3AM,what happened now?What's bothering you? Please tell me! "
A smashing guitar intro to Stay, glues the listener to wait for it.
What is 'it' ? A full-throated chorus of "Stay ! I need you here for new day to break! ". Songs like these invariably make you hum along with it, and that's where they've won it.
Seek You Out continues the trend set by the last two tracks, with similar musical style and influence.
I like the chorus very much, as it packs in a great deal of meaning, though different to each individual- "I'll seek you out, to find myself, and I'll worry 'bout consequences later.."
Another great acoustic intro to Shallow, a continuation of the light-hearted soft Rock music that has been going on for quite some time.Some elements in this song would have been better done without, but no complaint.It's their song, and it's good to listen to!
The defining moment of the song- "Glad the waters are so shallow, when the river runs so cold..."
A definite shift in gear.Everything Fades brings in high octane drums and guitar after a suggestive vocals-only intro.This song brings us to a harsh reality, the fact that everything eventually is forgotten in the pages of time. Good deeds, forgettable experiences, humiliation, memories and even love. The Bass is far too aggressive on the bridge and I love it!
Woah! Back to soft music, eh? Someone Special is one of the tracks which I include in "Tracks that teach you how to love". The melody is beautiful, almost a lullaby to a happy & dreamy sleep.Fills you up with hope and a lot of positive energy. This song beautifully describes a truth which most of us have experienced at some point of time.That someone special is always there,waiting for you, maybe in an obscure place, a place where you feel it is least likely to meet someone.A place where you least expect, there's someone special !
Illusion And Dream is an interesting song.Almost a dreamy music floats throughout the song, lending the name credibility.The chorus, once again, as most PotF songs is the high point of the song.It takes a while to realise that the song is really about the dishonesty in this world where everything is make believe.About the lies people sell and the illusions that they create.
After the song ends, there's a statement which I absolutely agree with - "With Silence comes Peace,with Peace comes Freedom, with Freedom comes Silence".
Sleep brings us to the end of this 12-track masterpiece.Piano-based, it has a soul-wrenching tune that complements the perfect words.A song filled with torment,pain yet which oozes so much love, this is not to be missed.End of story.
 |
| Poets of the Fall - The Perfectionists ! |
You could listen to this album front to back without a single hitch and undergo a transformation.The range of emotions blend in flawlessly through their words into your mind and from there, straight on the highway to your heart.
I'm telling you, mark my words.These people are going to be legends someday.They seem to be flawless! Especially their words, portray so much, so clearly, that it's an honour to be able to experience that.They are every composer's dream.A 9/10 for that.Exceptional work.A Best Debut Album at the Emma Awards just proves my point.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NEWS:
1.KoRn's The Path Of Totality has a date - December 6.Waiting for it.
2.Fred Durst has tweeted fans to "get ready for a sweet Limp Bizkit announcement".One can only wonder what that is about.My guess- the Autotunage video or if we are lucky, Gold Cobra Part2 !!
3.Even Mike Shinoda has revealed that there'll be some huge Music For Relief and Linkin Park announcements.Waiting for the LP announcement.
4.The biggest news yet.The mystique of Orgy has finally come to an end.In a recent statement from Julien-K members and ex-Orgy guitarists Ryan Shuck and Amir Derakh, they had always been ready to devote time to Orgy projects,shows if and only if it had the original line-up, which included Jay Gordon, Hailey Page and Bobby Hewitt apart from Ryan and Amir.
It seems Jay had vested interests to use the name 'Orgy' to his benefit and rope in Amir and Ryan to cash-in on their popularity.To say it straight, an Orgy re-created with new members and old members deceived for gaining the fans' attention.
 |
| 2nd and 3rd from left-Ryan and Amir.2nd from right-Jay Gordon |
All I can say is that it's good all this came out in the open.To quote my friend Vanessa Silva," 'We Are With You' guys.... ", which is also the name of their new album coming 23.01.2012.Waiting for that too.
Next Week: An intriguing Three Dollar Bill, Yall$ by Limp Bizkit
AWESOME ...as always..!!!
ReplyDelete^^Thanks bro.. !!
ReplyDelete