| Spotlight customer reviews: |
|
Customer Rating:  
Summary: It's OK
Comment: In spite of the title, The Afters really did go back to OK.
This is a decent pop album. It has a good sound, but there is not much that stands out. The title track is very good and there are a couple of other good songs. I like 'Keeping Me Alive' and 'One Moment Away'. They are both worth a repeat listen. The rest of the album is simply ok.
Although this is considered a Christian rock album, one would have to dig rather deep to figure that out. There are some subtle Christian messages in about two of the songs. There is nothing objectionable in the others, they are just not clearly spiritual.
I think that the three songs mentioned above are worth buying the digital downloads. I do not know that the whole album is a great deal.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Definitely WAY better than OK.
Comment: The Afters have always been one of my favorite bands, but with this new CD, they've outdone themselves. If you're looking for music to move you, make you love life, and put a smile on your face, look no further. Seriously, it's one of my favorite CDs.
(Ocean Wide is amazing.)
Customer Rating:
Summary: Its better Then OK
Comment: I first heard of the after while i was watching tv. I spot them on a christian channel. They were doing a live show,singing there new cd (never going back to OK ). They really blow my mind. The songs are great and their playing is right on time. This is a cd you must have. If you like rock, this one is for you. Young or old you will enjoy it. God bless
Customer Rating:
Summary: I Would Like To See Them Now Leave "Pretty Good"
Comment: In my review of their popular but dull debut, I asked if The Afters would take hold of their potential in their sophomore effort. Now that the album is upon us, and I've thoroughly scrutinized it, I can say that with confidence that it's a strong effort, but still not great.
First off, I pre-ordered the album, and got it at FCS for $5. 12 tracks for $5, or even $12 is a good deal, and I applaud the band for providing more material. There's no fillers, and "The Secret Parade," which happens to be the shortest track, has a unique sound which everybody had dubbed "Beatles-esque." Whether it should be compared to the Fab 4 is mute, but isn't everybody doing that nowadays?
Highlights include the familiar "Never Going Back To OK," the slightly cheesy but highly emotional "Ocean Wide," the power rocker "We Are The Sound," and the absolute highlight, the best song made about the popular social-networking disaster, "MySpace Girl" is an extremely catchy pop rock song containing every lyrical nugget you can drag out of the site. He's putting her in his top 8 spaces, it's "OurSpace," and the list goes on. Again, a bit cheesy, but these songs usually are.
Unfortunately, the back half of the album is not as good as the first half, but they all have their moments. In fact, looking back on this album, there isn't any track I could point to and say, that's the weak-spot. But as in songs like "One Moment Away," as good as they may be on their own, they kind of get lost in the shuffle of the album, and an hour or two after listening, you've forgotten half the tracks. Maybe it's songs like "Summer Again," which try too hard to be that love ballad, while still putting up a good effort. It's like the guy guessing somebody's weight at a carnival. He may have had the general range, but he was still 10 lbs. off.
And how could I end without talking about the Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy inspired "Forty-Two." In case you don't know, in the book, the author used the number 42 as the random meaning of life in his comedic take on the exploration of philosophy. So of course, the singer in the song wants to know the meaning of his life, and the lyrics do a decent job with the subject matter. But at this point you really get "The Afters' Sound", and you're really wanting them to change it at least a bit at this point.
Overall, The Afters seem to be stepping up the latter, but they're taking it in increments. While the album contains many a strong track, they're sticking value is debatable, and I think they could have done better with an already job well done. Next album, the band should just let it all hang out, which they attempt to do in this record, but never really stick that foot off the cliff. Of course, at the rate they're going at now, their third project should be a five-star effort all the way.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Never Going Back to Okay
Comment: I had no idea this was Christian rock. It's really good and they don't try to shove religion down your throat.
|
|
|
