Post by strangeimp on Feb 20, 2007 17:11:25 GMT -5
I just thought, for those of you who may not haunt the street team board, that I would post the reviews that I've come across so far.
AP:
"Bayside
The Walking Wounded
3 1/2 stars
Down, but never out.
The title track and opener on The Walking Wounded partly conveys what it must've felt like after Bayside's tragic van accident mare than a year ago, which claimed the life of drummer John "Beatz" Holohan and seriously injured bassit Nick Ghanbarian; in the song's chorus, singer/guitarist Anthony Raneri admits, "Scientists, they couldn't fiz me/I'm so tired of getting out of bed." Despite forging ahead, Raneri makes it clear that the emotional scars run deep, and these wounds, paired with his understandably dour outlook, define the record's overall mood. Musically, Bayside have elevated themselves further -- particularly Jack O'Shea, who's a bona fide shredder -- and the songwriting on Wounded is as superb as fans would expect, but it's also missing some of the against-the-odds optimism found on 2005's Bayside. Wounded is an important step toward recovery and a strongly recommended listen, but only when Bayside fully heal can they once again craft records that are just as cathartic for us all."
The Rolling Stone:
"3 1/2 stars (out of 5, but 5 is like UBER rare, so it's more out of 4)
Blame it on Green Day. Ever since Billie Joe and Co. release 2005's epic American Idiot, the trend in pop punk has been to pile it on rather than strip it back. New York's Bayside may not have the name recogition of neo-maximalists like My Chem, Fall Out Boy, and Panic --sadly, they're best known for the 2005 tour-bus crash that killed drummer John "Beatz" Holohan. That may change thanks to their fifth disc. Bayside remain a punk band, but The Walking Wounded runs on chugging Metallica guitars and big rock production values. An over-the-top thrash riff powers the titles track, as singer Anthony Raneri wails, "Scientists, they couldn't fix me/I'm so tired of getting out of bed." The first single, "Duality", which has the makings of a radio hit, mines a similar vein of despair, perhaps born of the band's tragic accident: "You're the flame that burns me/So I know that I'm still alive." If this is Wounded, Bayside will be scary when they reach full strength. "
I personally like the Rolling Stone review better, because the AP review makes the album sound a whole lot darker than I think it is. It also puts the responsibility of being cathartic for the population of the world on the band, which isn't fair or right. Besides, I've been reading RS since I was like... old enough to read and that is a GLOWING review in the world of RS.
AP:
"Bayside
The Walking Wounded
3 1/2 stars
Down, but never out.
The title track and opener on The Walking Wounded partly conveys what it must've felt like after Bayside's tragic van accident mare than a year ago, which claimed the life of drummer John "Beatz" Holohan and seriously injured bassit Nick Ghanbarian; in the song's chorus, singer/guitarist Anthony Raneri admits, "Scientists, they couldn't fiz me/I'm so tired of getting out of bed." Despite forging ahead, Raneri makes it clear that the emotional scars run deep, and these wounds, paired with his understandably dour outlook, define the record's overall mood. Musically, Bayside have elevated themselves further -- particularly Jack O'Shea, who's a bona fide shredder -- and the songwriting on Wounded is as superb as fans would expect, but it's also missing some of the against-the-odds optimism found on 2005's Bayside. Wounded is an important step toward recovery and a strongly recommended listen, but only when Bayside fully heal can they once again craft records that are just as cathartic for us all."
The Rolling Stone:
"3 1/2 stars (out of 5, but 5 is like UBER rare, so it's more out of 4)
Blame it on Green Day. Ever since Billie Joe and Co. release 2005's epic American Idiot, the trend in pop punk has been to pile it on rather than strip it back. New York's Bayside may not have the name recogition of neo-maximalists like My Chem, Fall Out Boy, and Panic --sadly, they're best known for the 2005 tour-bus crash that killed drummer John "Beatz" Holohan. That may change thanks to their fifth disc. Bayside remain a punk band, but The Walking Wounded runs on chugging Metallica guitars and big rock production values. An over-the-top thrash riff powers the titles track, as singer Anthony Raneri wails, "Scientists, they couldn't fix me/I'm so tired of getting out of bed." The first single, "Duality", which has the makings of a radio hit, mines a similar vein of despair, perhaps born of the band's tragic accident: "You're the flame that burns me/So I know that I'm still alive." If this is Wounded, Bayside will be scary when they reach full strength. "
I personally like the Rolling Stone review better, because the AP review makes the album sound a whole lot darker than I think it is. It also puts the responsibility of being cathartic for the population of the world on the band, which isn't fair or right. Besides, I've been reading RS since I was like... old enough to read and that is a GLOWING review in the world of RS.