Rollins Band - Weight (12 tracks) +Album Reviews

"Hero time, time to shine."

IhateMTV | The U.S. | 09/02/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"While their previous albums had been more punk-oriented, "Weight" seemed to be the first album where Rollins Band dove into the alternative metal market. Their change proved to be a success as it helped to diversify their sound, and "Weight" became the band's most popular album. The brilliance of singles such as "Liar" and "Disconnect" helped, as well as the intense vocals of the legendary Henry Rollins. The only problem is that the videos for the previously mentioned singles were so good that it doesn't feel the same listening to the songs without them. Lets take "Liar" for example. The song is good in it's own right, but the message doesn't stand out as much if you don't see Rollins dressing in funny costumes and painted in all red. Sounds like a trivial thing to get upset about, but those were two of the best videos I've ever seen.

The first thing I noticed when I listened to this album is how it's somewhat similar to Rage Against The Machine (nothing wrong with that since they're a fine band as well). The best example of this would be on the song "Civilized". The guitars sound very similar to Tom Morello and the lyrics sound like they would be a natural fit in any Rage song. Since Rollins is an established writer, the rest of the lyrics are quite good, and each one seems to have some kind of powerful message to it. Whether it be the positive lyrics of "Shine" or the way certain individuals hide behind their guns ("Civilized").

From start to finish, "Weight" is a fairly solid album. There are some tracks towards the end that are filler, but the album ends on a high note with the guitar-driven funk of the closer, "Shine". Nothing overly amazing on this record, but the impressive guitar work, intense vocals, and well-written lyrics make this one worthy to listen to."

Henry and Co.'s best album.

Frank (IronBadger@aol.com) | Toledo, OH | 05/16/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First of all, hats off to Theo Van Rock and Peter Rave for producing and engineering this album-- as far as sound quality goes (especially Melvin Gibb's bass) this is in the top 5 albums of all times.Beyond that, this album is the finest Rollin's band album yet and it even surpasses much of Henry's work with Black Flag. But surprisingly, dispite the band's name, Henry is overshadowed by the excellent work of the rest of the band on this album. The band always sounds tight as hell with their not holds barred approach to recording. Sim Cain holds his own on drums dispite Henry's vocals, Chris Haskett's hard, funky, at times almost Hendrixian guitar stylings, along with Melvin Gibb's bass (gotta love that wah-wah on "Shine&quot)."

Not for the average human

darren | 02/14/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Henry Rollins is a tough listen. Not that it's a bad listen, but it is not for everyone. I reckon Rollins Band music to that of Tom Waits or Neil Young. The music sounds nothing like either one, but the biggest criticism is always their singing. All I have to say is.....move on, don't listen, you don't get it and probably won't.Henry is very intense here, much as he is in life and in concert. He doesn't mince words or hold punches because he thinks life is too short to NOT be direct. Read the lyrics on this CD and you'll understand.My favorites here are FOOL and STEP BACK and LIAR (step back is pretty funny). I have several Rollins offerings, this one was my first taste. If you like this, I think you'll like them all. Keep in mind, very few like Rollins at first taste, but (like cheap wine) it tastes better as you consume it. The hang over is rough, though, so look out!"

Controlled anger with stellar musicianship

John Alapick | Wilkes-Barre, PA United States | 08/19/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Weight was the Rollins Band's breakthrough into the mainstream and remains their best album. While their previous album The End Of Silence was an unfocused affair with many of the songs tending to drag, Weight cuts out all the fat as every song here is very strong both musically and lyrically.

This album is best known for its memorable video/single "Liar" which starts out as a mellow jazz tune under Henry Rollins' soft spoken vocals before getting heavy during the choruses. While this is the most well known track, many other songs here match its brilliance. "Civilized" and "Step Back" both rely on a killer groove before dropping down in tempo midway through before regaining its original momentum. "Alien Blueprint" is a fantastic tale of a former outcast who doesn't let his past ruin his future. "Shine" is another great tune driven by a groovy riff and more of Rollins' great self-help lyrics. "Disconnect" is a mid-tempo track driven by the excellent rhythm section of bassist Melvin Gibbs and drummer Sim Cain that is also very strong. The momentum slows down on the grinding "Volume 4" and the slow jazz of "Tired" which concentrate more on mood and Rollins' vocals which speak of a man wrestling with his emotions. Other great tracks include the driving "Icon", "Fool", and "Wrong Man" which are all carried by Chris Haskett's killer riffs and wild yet creative soloing. Rarely has an album been released that combines controlled anger with such great lyrics and musicianship. Highly recommended."

Aggressive Wordsmith Henry Rollins

Leo Navarr | Donner Pass, California | 09/21/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"To a new listener, Henry Rollins may have a different effect than those who have followed his music since the days he sang with Black Flag. Weight is one of the more popular albums of his career and to me it just gets more addictive over time.

Subtle jams and electric thrashes mix in and out with Rollins singing a poetic style that really weighs heavily on small but important sociological and psychological issues. Rollins brings out not an angry voice but one that often questions the hypocrisy a person can experience on any given day at any given time. The Song "Disconnect" has a lot of flair in displaying a variety of guitar arrangements that mix in and out with Rollins' wordsmithing. Other favorites are Icon, Liar and the drudging, driving beat that introduces the song "Volume 4".

If a person ever feels like they are misunderstood or that the world can sometimes not necessarily be a sad place, but a really confusing one, they need to just play "Weight" and realize that the soundtrack of these matters is already out, with Rollins at the helm.

"

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	Rollins Band Weight Genres: Alternative Rock, Pop, Rock, Metal Track Listings (12) - Disc #1 Disconnect Fool Icon Civilized Divine Liar Step Back Wrong Man Volume 4 Tired Alien Blueprint Shine
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