|
What do people honestly expect from a rock band that's already established itself. 'Believe' can easily be identified as a coming-of-age battle cry, one that I particularly relate to since I first heard it when I was going through some hard times away from home. The Illusion of Progress is a great record that can easily be considered a sequel album to both Chapter V and Shades of Gray. They're not singing about mommy and daddy not loving them with gutteral screams and lyrics that sound like they came from a 17-year olds diary. It is how we deal with these challenges that defines us. Some new groundbreaking opus. Sure, this album may not have half of the album in the top 40, but it still has singles worth looking into.
'Tangled Up In You' is an excellent and unexpected love song with a timeless feel. Sure, there are parts where this album does come up below the bar that is set by the handful of singles it features. 'All I Want' is a song that is more on the lighter side of Staind's sound but is catchy enough to make note of. They're not the hot new band shadowing Fred Durst anymore and they're very well aware of it. Now, they sing about life's challenges with a more mature tone, willing to allow some light to shine with their defining darkness. 'The Corner' is a blues and gospel wrapped ballad that will make your hair stand on end.The main message of the album seems to be accepting the fact that life is what it is: there is both progress and challenge flowing in cycles. Whether we are able to disillusion ourselves or progress down the road, either way we still need to believe.
Best of Staind so far. In the end, it's an album where you'll never feel like skipping a song.
But as I listened to the CD from the beginning to the end, I realized I loved every single song on this album. And it gets better as you listen to it more often.
I didn't have big expectations when I first listened to this album, as I had only just liked one and one song from their previous albums. My personal favourites were "Devil", "The Corner", "The Way I Am", "All I Want", "Pardon Me" and "Schizophrenic Conversations".
Aaron Lewis has the most amazing voice in the entire rock business, and the songs from Illusion of Progress have such an amazing melody, it just makes you really want to listen to the album, and listen to it again and again. There are soft songs, acousting songs and really upbeat catchy songs.
Definately worth buying. Thumbs up.
Staind's Illusion of Progress album was disappointing.Listen to the song "Believe" of this album, and then listen to "Right Here" of Chapter V, the music is 99.99% the same, the vocals follow the exact same key, the only thing different is the Lyrics.When a band starts reusing old music and add new lyrics to it, it's time for them to call it quits.I use to love this band, but Illusion of Progress is the last album I will by from them.
Bought this for my son as a gift. He really liked it of course and even I liked most all the CD. I didnt know much about this band. Seems popular - and as I said - I liked several of the songs too.
As far as the lyrics go, I could take them or leave them. It's hard to distinguish when one song ends and another one begins.
I do have to say though that this is their weakest CD. I'm a big fan of Aaron Lewis and Staind.
There are a few songs I really like such as Lost Along the Way, Tangled Up In You, The Corner & Nothing Left to Say but the rest of them blend together way too much. The music's not hard enough to be interesting and it's not soft enough to be interesting either.
It's in this weird kind of middle zone. The good thing about this release however is that Aaron's vocals are top notch as usual.
If you are a fan of earlier Staind, this definitely won't be an album I could see you enjoying.
|
