Everyonce in a while i like to write an essay about how much i like or dislike an album i've been listening too, to keep up any writing skills i have aquired.
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Length: 36:15
Released: May 17th 2005
1.) Soldier Side (Intro)
2.) B.Y.O.B (Bring Your Own Bombs)*
3.) Revenga
4.) Cigaro
5.) Radio/Video
6.) This Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I’m On This Song
7.) Violent Pornography*
8.) Question?*
9.) Sad Statue
10.) Old School Hollywood
11.) Lost In Hollywood*
Recorded In Rick Rubin’s Haunted Mansion, Mezmurize was the first of SOAD’s two part album MezmurizeHypnatize, the follow up to 2000’s Acclaimed Toxicity. (Steal This Album! Being a B-Side Album.) The album saw a shift in dominance within the band from Singer/keyboardist Serj Tankian to guitarist/vocalist Daron Malakian. The Majority of the album sees Malakain writing most of the music and lyrics, while taking on a larger percentage of vocal duties. Mezmurize continues the political lyrics and profane nonsense that gained the band popularity in the early 2000’s. “Cigaro” is a twisted take on competitiveness, while “Violent Pornography” slams the media. Single BYOB bashes Bush and features thought police like soldiers in its music video. The only Serj dominated song, “Question?”, contemplates death and boasts a music video inspired by a dream bassist Shavo had. Many fans will put down Mezmurize for its experimental daring and outright strangeness. (See “This Cocaine…”) The Album is however more memorable and consistent then its second half: Hypnatize.
7.7/10
* Notes Perpetual Eargasm
Length: 28:55
Released: April 12th 2005
*1. Shut Me Up
2. 1989
3. Straight To Video
*4. Tom Sawyer
5. You'll Rebel To Anything (As Long As It's Not Challenging)
*6. What Do They Know?
7. Stupid MF
8. 2 Hookers & An 8-Ball
9. Prom
10. Bullshit
The thing I’ve always loved about MSI, besides that their music must be what comes out of Trent Reznors minds when he does acid, is their message:
"A warning for those of you lazy self absorbed and/or just plain inattentive parents: All the censorship in the world won't make up for bad parenting. If your child is more influenced by our music than by Mommy & Daddy, both you and your offspring have much bigger problems than our lyrics. So before you go hauling us or any other artist into court, look yourself in the mirror and ask yourself if you did the best you could, because if you're considering taking us to court, you didn't."
I’m often tempted to shove that in my folks faces, but I’m too nice for that. The actual album follows the usual MSI formula: Drugs, Sex, Ponies, and almost as many swear words as the south park movie all bundled together in an album less that a half hour in length. But YRTA is more solid and has more lasting power as an album that MSI’s previous release, “Frankenstein Girls Will Seem Strangely Sexy” which boasts a sticker that say “Be the first one on your block to throw away this album.” Anyway, highlights on the album include the cerebral “Shut Me Up”, music video directed by Jhonen Vasquez creator of invader zim and jthm, and a cover of Rush’s “Tom Sawyer”. The Cd was recently re-released with a different cover then the “game cross” seen above, containing the bonus tracks: Mic Commander, La-Di-Da-Di, Make Me Cum, and Wack! Overall, I think it will be the best album MSI will make, although they’ve had better songs (See “Faggot” “Tight” & “I Hate Jimmy Page”). Don't do Drugs kids...
8/10
* Notes Awasumness
Length: 48:41
Released: June 26th 2006
*1. Everyday Combat
2. A Town Called Hypocrisy
3. The New Transmission
*4. Rooftops (A Liberation Transmission)
5. Can’t Stop, Gotta Date With Hate
*6. Can’t Catch Tomorrow (Good Shoes Won’t Save You This Time)
7. Everybody Screaming!!!
*8. Broken Hearts, Torn Up Letters, And The Story Of A Lonely Girl
9. 4:AM Forever
10. For All These Times Son, For All These Times
11. Heaven For The Weather, Hell For The Company
12. Always All Ways (Apologies, Glances And Messed Up Chances)
Over the last 3 albums Lostprophets have switched genres 3 times. First nu-metal inspired alt. metal, then hardcore influenced alt. rock, and now pop punk/pop rock. Hurray for the wonders of selling out. But at least they had a reason and the album isn’t all cheesy pop influenced garbage. During their last effort, Start Something, the band included various covers from acts like Duran Duran, Justin Timberlake, The Cure, and Phil Collins. In LT the band rides of those popish vibes in an attempt to jettison them from their system, oh and acquire legions of American fans who gobble up “Emo” bands faster then you can say Gerard Way. Anyway the album lacks the solid structure & dependability of “Start Something” and the raw power of their first album “Fake Sound Of Progress” but it is by no means a failure. LT is divided, with the first half comprised of high energy songs, any of which could have been singles, and the second half drifting into mellower tracks, EX: the single 4:AM Forever. But some parts of the album sound too much alike and there isn’t much variety. Since its release Ian Watkins has cut back his massive fringe, just type in his name on photo bucket and you’ll get a million pictures of his old hair, and the band has sworn they’ve quit poprock and moved on, as evidenced by their cover of Machine Head’s “Davidian”.
7.5/10
* notes greatness
