Take It , and Hard
Gerardo Martinez Casas | San Miguel de Cozumel, Quintana Roo, México | 02/24/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is better than buying their fist 2 cds mostly because of killer live songs from their best cuts . These guys remind me of Led Zep with an angry Black Sabbath twist and Puddle of Mudd Come Clean attitude . Mean guitar licks with rock metal vocals ... I Like It ..."
Welcome to the north
E. A Solinas | MD USA | 09/30/2005
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Okay, they have what may be the most boring name in all of rock-dom. But the Music do better in their sophomore album than in their self-titled debut, tightening up their music and losing the Led Zepplin-wannabe sound in favor of more dancerock. "Welcome to the North" is a bombastic rocker with heart.
"Where I'm from/Is not who, who I am," is the rather generic opener to the title track, a roaring rocker that blossoms from a slow riff. Well, it's not really about the songwriting -- it's actually about how it's sung. Lead singer Robert Harvey really stretches his voice as he shouts "Welcome to the NOOORTTH!", sounding as if he's gesturing at a panoramic view of north Britain. Instead of the jaded mumbles of many alt-rockers now, Harvey throws his heart, soul, and vocal chords into each song.
Their catchy brand of rock goes heavy on the electric guitars, grinding bass and smashin' percussion -- at times you can hear bands like Led Zeppelin, New Order and Rush mixed in there, but fortunately not so heavily that it feels derivative. A particular bonus is the rippling guitar in "Into The Night" -- that's what makes a good band.
They keep the sound catchy, but stray into ballads once or twice -- although only the flowing, exquisite "Fight the Feeling" could be strictly described as a ballad. What's more, bad singer could not depend on the music to cover his flaws in the ballads -- and Harvey proves that he's very good.
The Music do pretty well in their sophomore album -- their gusto keep them from sounding generic or cliched. They have the guts, the youth and the energy -- now all they need is the polish to go with it. Some of their riffs and basslines can be repetitive, and their songwriting definitely needs a boost up. Yes, the songs are catchy, but they're also very generic.
This fiery young band has the excellent lead singer and good musicianship that it needs to be huge -- all they need is some polish-ups, and a songwriter to match their guitar playing."
Track Listings (11) - Disc #1