1 comments about Danger Is Dangerous.

1. What? No Spongmonkeys?
   
   Do you remember the Spongmonkeys? They first showed up here (in the US) in 2004 in a TV commercial for the Quiznos Sub shops, singing their song "We Love the Subs." This was a take off on their song "We Like Tha Moon," created by Joel Veitch. Sad to say, this isn't on this album.
   
   Then there were the Ninja Kittens, another Internet phenomenon created by Joel Veitch. They are here on this CD in their song "Ninja" and on some other tracks here on Danger Is Dangerous, by 7 Seconds of Love.
   
   Most of the songs on this new CD have been previously released as videos or mp3 files over the last few years, so that's why I'm familiar with them. I found the track listings on Amazon.co.uk, and I'll share them here, along with my personal ratings:
   
   1. First Drink Of The Day [5-stars, for adults]
   2. Danger Of Death [5-stars]
   3. My Car [4-stars]
   4. Twister [4-stars, a little weird]
   5. Love Me Like You Used To [5-stars]
   6. Mzungu [5-stars, and a favorite]
   7. One More (Or Ten) [5-stars]
   8. Ninja [5-stars, and a long- time favorite]
   9. Looking For My Leopard [5-stars]
   10. Unemployed [4-stars]
   11. Soupy George [4-stars]
   12. Submarine [5-stars]
   13. Winners [5-stars, favorite track on this CD]
   
   So that's nine 5-star selections and four 4-star selections. Many of us have bought CDs with just one or two 5-star selections, so how can you go wrong with this?
   
   BTW, the album cover is excellent. Look very carefully into the cat's eyes, and what do you see?
   
   It's good to see that the world will now be able to hear this great music group as some of us have been able to do in the past. '7 Seconds of Love' is my favorite UK music group, so I'm kind of biased, but hope that you'll like them too.

5 comments about Sublime.

1. I first bought the Sublime "Sublime" album on cassette when it first came out. Time to upgrade to CD..Great Ska/rock mix. I got introduced to some other songs of their's buying this CD



2. I can be a little biased because I'm an obcessed Sublime fan. I listen to Sublime at least five days a week. This is one of the three real Sublime albums out there (as in not a compilation) This album has to be the most professionally produced, and comercial of the three. I would recomed it to any type of music lover because this is just great music. Once you buy this one you will have to have 40 oz to freedom and Robbin the Hood. What's more to be said? Just buy it, you won't regret it.



3. Dude, you're an idiot. Anyway, onto the review... Since the death of Bradley over a decade ago (duuude, I'm getting old) there have been many Sublime cd's that have come our way. Some great (Sublime-Acoustic) and some not so great (20th Century), but either way it's always good to get some new Sublime. This particular cd has been reviewed extremely well by some great fans, so I won't get into that. I just wanted to note that "Seed", one of the fastest and punk-esque Sublime songs from the self-titled album appears to have not found a place on this "re-issue". That's something of a shame, but oh well. We'll enjoy it anyway.
   
   Oh yea, they should have put the Pharcyde mix of "Doin Time" on this mix over the Wyclef version. Clef's doesn't even compare.



4. i must agree with paulo. knopper or whatever his name is is definatly a idiot. i can never get enough sublime if it be 40oz to freedom,sublime.second hand smoke,robbin the hood, or anything else i missed. now that i think of it there was this one time me and my roommate got all spun out on lsd and listened to 40oz to freedom 5 times in a row. this is definatly a must have along with the 4 disc box set that comes out in nov.



5. Everybody loves this album; why else would you have clicked on the icon in order to view the product?
   
   Everybody knows that the album has been re-sequenced in order to comply with Bradly Nowell's original sequence. I have listened to this album for so long, that it will take a while to RE-ADJUST to the new sequence of the songs!
   
   Also, everybody knows that this album comes with a supplimental disc with extra goodies! The second disc contains several priceless songs- especially the accoustic material which has been included. In my OPINION, the accoustic tracks make the second disc the gem of the whole collection.
   
   This release is a no-brainer for the fans.

5 comments about Fuck World Trade.

1. i dont understand, regardless of how "punk" you are, how you should be happy about 9/11. all that did was create a vehicle for people to go and launch a war and take away our as well as other's freedoms! random listenings/probings...dead people the world over...the draft bill thats in the process of being passed (which will almost definitely make it thru cuz we're in a "time of war") so we can go invade iran
   
   and this is a good thing? bullshit



2. This Album felt liek they were reading my mind.
   Every issue that i thought of and more they covered.
   In such a catchy way.
   Simply genoius.



3. This album is incredible, it mixes ska, punk, and hardcore metal into a whirling death mobile of awesome. It has not one bad song on it. I love Mediocre Generica passionately but this tops it. I hope their next cd can somehow top this.



4. Leftover Crack's second album could be considered their best. Without a bad song on it this band really defies generes. Successfully taking a unique style of Hardcore Punk/Ska and infusing in it elements of Death Metal sounds and Hip Hop attitude they have created some of the best music ever. Politically charged, they pull no punches, as you can tell by the cover they say what they like. The songs on this album are about killing cops, hating cops, burning prisons, being happy about 9/11, hating America, accepting death and Atheism, and killing more cops. Even though I obviously don't agree with everything(actually a lot of things) they say I still love them.
   Songs to Note: All of 'em not a bad song to be found except maybe Soon We'll be Dead kinda slow.



5. Basically, these are a bunch of guys who really hate the world, and this CD is their way of sarcastically and intelligently telling us what's wrong with it. Their sound is a ska-core-screamy-at-times-but-pleasant-enough sandwich. Be sure to read the lyrics. And to boot, you can get away with playing the melodic song "Super Tuesday" in the car with your omg-newfound-glory-is-sooo-punk friends without them starting to cry. Well, okay maybe at the end of the song they will. But anyway. BUY.

5 comments about Right on Time.

1. This is what I'm talking about! Hepcat is a great 'ska' band and this is one of their better albums. This albums grooves from the openning intro right through the closing number. The band is tight, the vocal harmonies are great, and they mix of styles from ska to rock steady to Carribean to whatever. If you have to label them then label them really really good.
   
   This is one of those CD's that defined a summer for me. I just could not get it out of the CD from the moment I bought it until several months later. Ska fans, music fans, anyone with a pulse will enjoy this album.



2. Having had the pleasure of seeing the band live in Amsterdam I can honestly say they are the best ska band in the world and deserve worldwide recognition.



3. Great music to listen to any time and anywhere!!!



4. I was flipping through the channels one night and flipped past a Music Video. Something about it made me switch back. It was the Video for Hepcat's "No Worries". By the end of the Video I was hooked on the song. I spent the next several days trying to find the CD. I finally found a record shop in Redbank New Jersey that had the CD.
   I was shocked they even knew who Hepcat was. I soon found out that this was one great band. I'm still addicted to "No Worries", and can't help dancing and singing when I hear it, but the rest of the CD is excellent also. This is one Cd that is well worth it's price.



5. This album is definitely my favorite out of my collection. Its soulful melodies, talented instrumentals and lighthearted lyrics will brighten up your day. This album also has many instrumentals, which is my favorite aspect of Hepcat's music. Tommy's Song, Pharoahs Dream, and Baby Blues are the ultimate relaxation songs! So go and get this album, play it on a sunny day and drift away to the shores of Kingston and Montego Bay!

3 comments about Give 'Em the Boot, Vol. 4.

1. This, in my opinion, is by far the best Give 'Em The Boot.
   
   Less Reggae and Ska, which is OK by me. I like them, but I listen mostly to just hard rocking bands like the Unseen, Rancid, the Nekromantix, etc.
   
   In my opinion, the only bad song is the one by the Transplants. Its the only one I quickly skip.
   
   And it has the HorrorPops. And new punk-ish bands with lead females (or...any females, really) is good. Especially since we lost the Distillers...
   
   its really good, followed closely by give em the boot 2.
   
   give it a whirl. its cheap, and its Awesome



2. You get 74 minutes of punk,reggae,ska,and psychobilly for $6.If $6 is too hefty a price tag for you to afford without careful consideration,here are 10 the songs rated:
   1.Rancid,Killing Zone-5/5,One of my favorite Rancid songs.
   2.Aggrolites,Dirty Reggae-4/5
   3.Tiger Army,Atomic-3/5,weak guitar.
   4.Slackers,Propoganda-5/5,best reggae.
   5.Disasters,Kiss Kiss Kill Kill-4/5
   6.US Roughnecks,Lost Paradise-3/5,Sounds like Motorhead.
   7.T-Minus,Caught In Between-2/5,annoying vocals.
   8.Die Hunns-Marshall Law-4/5,Clash-esque.
   9.Dropkick Murphys-Shipping Up to Boston-4/5
   10.Lars Frederiksen-4/5,better than expected.
   Most of the remaining tracks are good,too.



3. Great state of the union for Punk in 2004, the Murphys and Ducky Boys to Rancid and Lars Fredrickson...play it loud, share with friends (and enemies)!

3 comments about You Can Get It If You Really Want: The Definitive Collection.

1. To You, the Browser:
   
   Shopping around for a Desmond Dekker compilation? Well, you've arrived at the right one. Forget all those other Dekker "Best Ofs" & "Greatest Hits," and go with this instead. Spanning the years 1963-1993 with 59 cuts on 2 CDs, YOU CAN GET IT IF YOU REALLY WANT: THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION might be a few dollars more, but it's worth it.
   
   The collection starts off with 1963's "Honour Your Mother and Father," a hit single that set the pace for an 8-year-long relationship between Dekker and legendary reggae producer Leslie Kong, which lasted until the latter's untimely death in 1971. Under Kong, Dekker would carry the raucous ska sound into the smoother grooves of rocksteady, pioneering what we now call reggae.
   
   Disc 1 contains almost all of Desmond's best known songs: the aforementioned "Honour..." (and its followup, "Parents"), along with "It Mek," "Beautiful and Dangerous," and "Problems." Included also are two songs, "Rudy Got Soul" and "Rude Boy Train," celebrating Jamaica's rude boys, a sharp but often violent Jamaican youth culture who were to play a major influence (for good and bad) on the style and attitude of Britain's nascent skinhead subculture. And, of course, nobody here's forgotten Dekker's 1967 UK Top 20 hit, "007 (Shanty Town)," or 1968's "Israelites," a bonafide, transatlantic smash that made the US Top 10, introducing Americans to modern reggae long before Bob Marley. A cover/medley of the Beatles' "Ob-La-di, Ob-La-da," closes out this first disc. This song is especially noteworthy because its lyrics reference Dekker (he's the "Desmond" they're singing about). Dekker's cover returns the honor and respect back to Lennon and McCartney.
   
   The second disc begins with 1970's fabulous "Pickney Gal," followed by "Generosity," "Perseverance," and a Jimmy Cliff original--which Dekker would make his own, "You Can Get It If You Really Want." Tracks 19-28 are all post-Kong, with production credits going to Bruce White and Tony Cousins, Will Birch, Roger Lomas, Robert Palmer, Delroy Wilson and Desmond himself.
   
   YOU CAN GET IT IF YOU REALLY WANT certainly isn't a complete collection (you rarely see such things... even with box sets). With any collection one always finds something missing. For instance, both "Writing on the Wall" and "Bongo Gal" should've been included, in my opinion. However, it is an excellent and definitive overview; not perfect--but damn close to it.



2. It can be tempting for the more serious, long term reggae listener to pigeonhole Dekker as solely representing "popular" or chart reggae -- but that would be a serious error, as the best tracks on this compilation show.
   
   "Wise Man" has a Gladiators at Studio One sound to it, with its lyric concerning encouragement of wisdom as opposed to following a rude boy lifestyle. "Sabotage" and "Pretty Africa" are also slightly reminiscent of the very early Gladiators style.
   
   "Honour Your Father" teaches filial respect over a booming ska rhythm, whilst "Parents" conversely, with its beautiful doo wop harmonies and cajun like shuffle, encourages parents to return that respect to their offspring.
   
   "Labour for Learning" has a spirtual aspect -- "Labour for learning before you grow old, for that is better than silver and gold" Dekker chants, then, echoing Psalms, Proverbs and Solomonic sentiment, "silver and gold will vanish away, but education shall never decay." A beautiful jazz horns refrain (Cedric 'Im Brooks? Roland Alphonso?) follows.
   
   "Jeserine" and "King of Ska" are amphetamine speed rudeboy rock, with an almost 60's garage feel.
   
   "This Woman" has a deeply hypnotic groove and an offbeat bass boom which could compete with contemporary steppers tunes or JB's style funk workouts. A Don Drummond/Skatalites style horns leads the piece.
   
   "Mount Zion" sounds like South Africa township jazz circa 1965, whilst the rude "Soldering" is a tune versioned later on Big Youth's "Dreadlocks Dread". "It's A Shame" has a loping b line reminiscent of Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker tunes.
   
   The second CD is not as consistent as the first since some tracks have a schmaltzy string section sounding like Lou Rawls or the softer side of John Holt. Still, there are some unmissable tracks such as the spiritual, driven force of "Warlock/Freedom Train", sounding like a precursor to Dennis Brown's "Emmanuel" and The Ethiopians/Coxsonne's "Slave in a Babylon". Rough reality music, with a vocal from the heart.
   
   Also, check out the agressively claustrophobic nihilism of "First Time" with its sullen resentful lyric : "I work so hard but what do I get, the little that I do get makes me fret. For the first time in a long time, I feel miserable all over." Anachronistically, the dark pessemism of the nervous narrative is contrasted with an uplifting ska beat.
   
   This double CD is certainly patchy in places and does contain some filler, as well as tracks so familiar as to render their inclusion inevitable, yet pointless --But that is hardly surprising since it covers a period spanning some 35 years, and collects nearly 60 tracks. Also, arguably, the "populist" cover versions and 90's tracks don't really work.
   
   The best tracks however, are a contuining example of how Sanctuary has revitalised the flagging fortunes of Trojan over the past two years, compiling some of the most exciting music available by digging through Trojan's dusty vaults as well as buying up the rights to more obscure labels -- as represented by the unrivalled "Haul and Pull Up" and Tappa Zukie "Stars" releases.
   
   Intensified -- Music like dirt. For sure.



3. Ska was a Jamaican musical style that evolved from an amalgam of native Calypso and American R&B in the late 1950s/early 60s. It developed into Rocksteady, Reggae and a host of other variations since. We often overlook how influential these Jamaican styles have been on American and British music. In December, 2005, I took my teenage daughter to a Skafest in Chicago and was amazed at how a packed crowd of Goths, Punks, Emos, et al, responded enthusiastically to all these styles, including some pure Calypso that Harry Belafonte might have recorded back in the 50s!
   
   It was Dekker who introduced Ska to the outside world. Fellow Jamaican Bob Marley became a bigger star, but Dekker was the trailblazer. He is the 'Desmond' referred to in The Beatles' 1968 Ob-La-di, Ob-La-da. His music continued to develop and he enjoyed considerable success in the UK. Classic, must-hear songs are: Honor Your Father and Your Mother, You Can Get it if You Really Want, Israelites and It Mek. His biggest hit was Israelites.
   
   There was a darker side. The Rude Boy culture that emerged in 60s Jamaica was often very violent. Dekker celebrates and glamorizes this in songs like 007 (Shanty Town), Rudy Got Soul and Rude Boy Train. In Britain, these songs were taken up by the Mod gangs, and later by Skinheads. How justified I am in saying he celebrates gang violence, rather than just makes music, is up to each individual listener to decide.
   
   If you buy just one Dekker album, this comprehensive and truly definitive compilation is the one to get. It has 2 discs (59 tracks), good insert notes, a sleeve, and is reasonably priced. It is a fitting tribute to the singer, who died in May, 2006.

5 comments about Keep It Going.

1. For a band that's been around as long as they have (since 1995), they've sure managed to fly well beneath my musical radar. How this is possible, I'm not really sure. When the disc arrived, my first thought was, "Hmmm... oh yeah, that's that band... that I never listened to. I sure hope this doesn't suck..." Well never fear, cuz you'll be hard pressed to find anything that sucks about Keep it Going (or Mad Caddies, for that matter). I'm going to assume I'm mostly addressing fans of this genre here, cuz I doubt someone's suddenly gonna be won over as a ska fan by a single album review. But I can assure you, if you're already a Caddies fan or think you might be inclined to try it on for size, I can think of no better place to start than with Keep it Going. Really great stuff that reminds me of a mash-up between the best parts of Mustard Plug and Cherry Poppin' Daddies. Energetic when appropriate, yet mellow and groovy also. Long story short, I was impressed enough to go out and buy a couple other of their albums: it's been a long time since a band got me that hooked. Go pick this one up, you won't regret it!



2. Mad Caddies outshine themselves once again. While everything old is awesome/amazing/rediculously great music, this album has to be their best. As they have done with every other album, each new album outshines those previously released. Probably due to my trend towards slower ska music over the last couple years, my favorite tracks are State of Mind, Lay Your Head Down, and Riding for a Fall. But honestly, they aren't *that* slow. I'm also in love with Coyote, which has a hint of something spicy to both the vocal accent and the instrumental harmonies. Without You is not to fast, not to slow, but has a hint of early Mad Caddies. Souls For Sale and Pyramid Scheme are over-the-top catchy... in a good way. Backyard and Today both remind me of the Duck and Cover era. Only two problems. One: the quiet build up to the first track is a bit too long and too quiet (darn near silent). Two: the album is far too short. Other albums seemed longer to me. Or maybe I just can't get enough of this CD!!



3. This cd is Great!! not one song on the album that you would skip.. album is way better than the band's last 2 cd!! a must have!



4. "Keep it going" while far from being unrecognizably Mad Caddies, is certianly more toward the more mellow, reggae style they do so well. That being said one of the things that first intrigued me about the Caddies back in the day was their varied repertoire and I was kind of left wishing for more upbeat punk-style tempo changes as well as the vocal variation that where less common in this CD. It is by no means a bad record, just differen't. All in all a definite must for fans, but I would use another CD to introduce someone to the Mad Caddies.



5. These guys keep getting better and better. Each album seems to have them growing musically and lyrically. Fun lyrics on a great Reggae/Ska Beat. If you always thought the Mad Caddies as a middle of the road band with occasional strokes of brilliance, try this album out, more genius here than ever before

3 comments about Rudy Got Soul: The Complete Early Years 1963-1968.

1. 
   I find that really good reggae/ska collections are few and far between. This is one of them. There are some really nice pieces on this, such as: KING OF SKA, JESERINE, GET UP EDINA, 007, PERSONAL POSSESSION, MOTHER LONG TONGUE, PRETTY AFRICA, A IT MEK, COCONUT WATER, WRITING ON THE WALL and others. The man was quite prolific. FYI, it doesn't have his biggest hit: Israelites.
   
   You get 46 songs for under $20. So, even tho a few are not among his best, there are plently to make it worthwhile.



2. Desmond Dekker was turned down in his first few attempts at breaking into the Jamaican music industry...thankfully for us he found Leslie Kong and Derrick Morgan.
   Desmond brought Jamaican Music to the world well ahead of Bob Marley (Isrealites), and is a must for any collector. His early music is an outstanding example of the music that would eventually become Reggae (Ska and Rocksteady).
   Anyway, Desmond just passed this week after 40 years of bringing music to the people- he will be missed...do yourself a favor and aquaint yourself with him quickly



3. anyone who has the slightest interest in jamaican music knows the name Desmond Dekker well. A legendary figure from that prolific island (thanks much in part to his long relationship with jamaican-chinese record producer/manager Leslie Kong); his songs "007 (Shanty Town)", "Honour Your Father & Mother", and "Israelites" are probably his most well-known tunes...but this superb anthology reveals many many more classic gems! i was enomoured with this disc after the first 4 tracks alone. i especially like the song "Dracula" and "Madgie." Dekker was blessed with a really beautiful voice that is both smooth like a 50's soul singer, and charmingly innocent and sweet. in fact, charm is really the main appeal of his recorded work and all of it presented here is a wonderful place to dig in for the uninitiated. this is the kind of music that i would recommend to someone who is more of an old time r'n'b fan, rather than a hardcore reggae fan.

5 comments about Face to Face.

1. I mean...27 Perfect Reviews...Enough Said...if you love high energy catchy punk rock, this is for you! I just got the CD today and i cant stop listening to it, amazing...



2. This record was the big major lable debut, I really thought it would stink. I bought it and was surprised that they were still playing fast and they had not really changed their sound much. This album is not flawless like DON'T TURN AWAY, but it's still the same lyrically dead-serious melodic hardcore. This was their last good album. Anything after this was a departure from this sound.



3. ....so I dismissed this and overlooked it. Like many punk fans, I turned my back to any band that signed with a major label. Sure, our favorite bands, The Ramones, The Clash, etc were on major labels. But ee justified it by saying independent labels weren't as viable of an option back then, and some of the "major labels" started as indies themselves. We kinda knew we were full of crap, but we pressed on. And we should have. The punk scene needs that a-hole element. It just does. But the consequences are missing some great music.
   Ever since the whole Dr. Strange/Fat Wreck Chords drama of the early 90's, I never trusted Face To Face. Hearing the Victoria Manor tape (the pre-Face to Face metal band that was, well, awful and funny at the same time) made me think they were simply cashing in on this whole punk thing. Signing to a major confirmed that for me. Maybe they did, but judging the music on it's own merits, it doesn't matter. This is high quality stuff. I always liked Don't Turn Away and secretely loved Big Choice, but I was just too punk rock to get this. Well I should have. The songs on here have a sort of timeless feel to them. They sound like fully realized songs instead of 3 chord punk rock, and that's fine. "Walk the Walk" and "Blind" alone are reasons for buying this.
   I guess this review is more about the band than this particular record, but hearing it made me regret not getting in in 1996. It took me almost ten years, it should take you about 30 more seconds. The "add to your cart" button is right there.



4. Words can't say enough about how truely great Face to Face is. A remarkable band that has sincere creativity and thoughful lyrics that don't patronize. Lead singer and guitarist Trever Keith has an amazing style to his music, his lyrics are powerful, yet simple. They put the listener into everyday life situations that anyone can relate to and hopefully gives them a powerful sense of hope and direction. Extremely catchy guitar riffs and a powerful bass guitar sound, finished off with Keith's uplifting lyrics- this album is one of a kind. I highly recommend it! I had the priviledge to see Face to Face twice, and they are truly a class act and have a damn great live show! Buy this album!!



5. This is probably my favorite punk cd ever. Face to Face was unbelievable. There just aren't many great straight up punk cds like this anymore.

5 comments about Photographs.

1. Ok, so a lot of other reviewers complained about this being a big let down. I'll admit that this album is not as good as their past ones, and if this is the first time I had heard the band I wouldn't like them near as much. But the album is catchy pop punk. There are some songs that beg to be sung along to in the car and some fun songs that had me bobbing my head.
   Yes the album is dark, but MEST has always had dark issues with their songs...(think Drawigng Board, f*** up kid, mother's prayer, etc...) That hasn't changed on this album, it just seems like they are trying to take the "dark" more seriously instead of making jokes out of it.
   Like I said this isn't as good as the last 3 Mest Albums in my opinion. But if these songs had been intermixed with songs off of those albums, you'd never know the difference.



2. When I think of Mest, I think of fun pop/punk with a little reggae influence. This sums up their first three major label releases (all of which were phemonenal albums). This album is emo. Bad emo. Their style has changed so much in one album that it's mindblowing. You can tell just by looking at some of the song titles ("Kiss Me, Kill Me", "As His Black Heart Dies (My Mistake)", "Graveyard", "Nightmare", etc.) that this is a darker album. The problem is that darker doesn't necessarily mean more mature. In fact, with this album Mest is regressing.
   
   The lyrics are littered with words like "blood", "dark" and a lot of them allude to suicide. The lyrics aren't good, nor are they original. In fact, it seems as though Tony and Jeremiah went through a bout of a writer's block, so instead of writing lyrics they broke into the house of some random angsty 14-year-old who hates his parents and stole the kid's crappy poetry.
   
   This album also includes Mest's worst song of all-time: "Last Kiss". The lyrics are so childish and angsty that it's nothing short of utter rediculousness. Here's a little sample: "Stare at you as you slit my wrist, and as we share our last kiss, hold me as we die". These are lyrics I might be able to appreciate if I was 14-years-old. As I'm 21, I see how silly and overly dramatic they are. And since Tony, who wrote the song, is quite a few years older than I am, he has no excuse. This is just terrible.
   
   There are only three songs on this album that I like. None of the three hold a candle to any song off Mest's last three albums, but here goes: "Take Me Away (Cried Out To Heaven)", "Photographs" and "This Time". All three are decent, and almost reminiscent of Mest's previous sound.
   
   After putting out this album, I'm glad Mest broke up.



3. This CD is, for the most part, classic MEST. I don't know why many people seem to disagree. "Take Me Away" is one of the best rock songs of the year, not some screamo garbage or standard pop-punk. It is such a cool song. "Graveyard" is another standout. All that's missing is the FUN MEST - I love cruising in my RX and listening to "Destination Unknown" and I hope MEST does another album like that one. But their sound is unique, a gorgeous, beautiful sound. "This Time" is an emotional ballad better than anything Coldplay could ever write. As a band, the performances are the best on this CD, but the songs are not ALL good (most are.) MEST has the potential to break the sound barrier with their next CD if they combine the rocking fun of "Destination" with the musical sophistication of this album. Tony if you read this don't ever give this up. You guys will have your time on top of the world, and it will all have been worth the wait.



4. I simply can't believe that the band who wrote "drawing board", "cadillac" and the entire s/t punk masterpiece of 2003 could be behind this crap, but they are. "photographs" is a complete 180 from past mest releases, and I for one plan to never buy a mest record or go to a mest show again. Bands who change so much shouldn't even continue under their old name. Change the sound? Change the name. Simple as that.



5. What the hell!!! My friend bought me this album for my birthday and it looked to be a darker and more mature Mest. I put it in my stereo and this is not Mest they have turned pop as hell! Mest is the band that wrote "Drawing Board" "Cadillac" and "Breaking Down", this is a new Mest trying to make it to the MTV mainstream, if you thought the old Mest were too punk then you will definitely like this album, but if you're a big Mest fan then i suggest you make your way across the cd shop and go check out Cauterize or Saves The Day