Marilyn Manson - The High End of Low
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Free Music Notes for The High End of Low
Free Music Review: Mixed Bag
Hit: 4 Stars
I've been a Marilyn Manson fan for a long time. More of a multi-media performance artist than a musician, Manson combines music, theatre, costume, and film in his act. For his albums, over the years Manson has borrowed from various genres and elements of rock history to construct his own subversive concepts.
"The High End of Low" seems to be a mixed bag, with various songs reminiscent of some of his previous work, and a few venturing into new territory. The metal of "Antichrist Superstar", the space-rock of "Mechanical Animals", and the (for lack of a better word) emo of his previous album, "Eat Me Drink Me" are all to be found on this album.
Personally, I like when Manson does slinky, sinister pop rock songs ("Leave a Scar", "Armageddon") or more experimental fare ("WOW", "15"). I don't think he necessarily has the vocal chops to pull off a few of the more acoustic sounding tracks.
However, I think Manson is at his absolute best when he serves as a dark social critic. On "We're From America", my favorite track, Manson seethes "Don't like to kill our unborn/We need them to grow up and fight our wars" along with an uptempo industrial beat. Underneath all the shock theatrics, Manson is still an awkward Midwestern kid exposing the underbelly of the American dream.
Free Music Review: deserving of several listens before one passes judgment
Hit: 4 Stars
I've never been blown away by MM's overall body of work, but do consider Antichrist and Mechanical to be among the best "electric rock" LPs of the last couple of decades. Warner always struck me as staying true to the course and not living a lie, unlike A. Cooper to whom he is so often compared in the most misguided of ways. This latest release is clearly the closest the band has come to either of their past two masterpieces--hands down. These three are the definitive MM catalogue, all similar in some ways, yet all unique of course. Much is made of White's return, and I for one can certainly hear and feel his presence. He is a dynamic force in any recording studio, playing bass or guitar tracks, or even just being involved. I haven't noticed many tour dates in support of this fine record, and perhaps that, and not the album's reviews or sales figures, is the real sign of the times. If this was to be their last album (and I doubt very seriously that it is), Brian and the Boys certainly go out on a high note, rarely if ever deviating from the stunningly visual and artistic course that they set for themselves, and all the while backing it up with top-tier musicianship with a noticeable amount of understanding of actual music theory--feats probably never before done by bands in this genre, including Bowie.Free Music Review: much better than expected
Hit: 4 Stars
I am surprised by the overall low rating this album has (3.5 stars at the time of this review). While this doesn't rock as hard as previous albums of his, I believe this is Manson's best album in years and has several songs I think I'll be listening to for a long time.
"Devour" is a little slow for my taste, but it picks up at the end and is really good - the line "pain's not ashamed to repeat itself" is stuck in my head. "Pretty As A Swastika" and "We're From America" are both classic Manson tracks that will be fan favorites. "Four Rusted Horses" is also a little slow but is my favorite track on the album. The closing track "15" sounds completely different than other Manson songs (both on this and other albums) and is pretty good. It's a great closing song. Arma*, Wight Spider, Leave A Scar) are mostly listenable but nothing special. The remaining songs are filler.
Overall I was satisfied with the album purchase and look forward to his next album. As other reviewers have said this album is a step in the right direction. I hope Manson steers the group back to the raw powerful sound of earlier albums but wouldn't mind him throwing in songs like "Four Rusted Horses" or "15" to change things up a little.
Free Music Review: A marked improvement...
Hit: 4 Stars
OK, so now the dust has settled around this one a bit I cracked it open and gave it a few more listens recently.
For my money I would say that High End Of Low sounds much more like a proper Marilyn Manson album than either Golden Age Of Groteque (2003, sounded sort of OK at the time but now sounds decidedly iffy) or Eat Me Drink Me (2007, sounded embarrassingly weak at the time and now sounds even worse)...which is to say, it does at least sound like the same band that recorded the classic albums (which are - and I don't think anyone is likely to dispute this - Antichrist Superstar, Mechanical Animals, and Holywood). So it would seem that having Twiggy back on board has been a very healthy development.
It's a far more consistent album that the Noughties have led us to expect from Marilyn Manson, and there a few definite standout tracks like Leave A Scar, and thankfully it's much better than Eat Me Drink Me, but overall it's not as satisfying as any of the 'classic three' albums. Kind of a seven out of ten. I like it though, and it's going to stay in the car stereo for a while yet!
I hope this is useful anyway. Don't boycott MM just because of Eat Me Drink Me!
Free Music Review: One Step Back, Two Steps Forward
Hit: 4 Stars
Unlike just about every other album he has put out, Marilyn Manson doesn't attempt to reinvent himself with The High End of Low, and it results in 15 tracks that build on past strengths without being just a rehash of his 90s glory. While the previous effort, 2007's Eat Me, Drink Me, played as a diary entry into his soul - which at times I felt I wasn't meant to hear - Low is meant to entertain, and that it does.
The hook song is Arma-Godd**n-Motherf**kin-Geddon, the Beautiful People of this album, and has the catchy riffs and singalongability as any of his greatest hits. And for that I say, welcome back, Twiggy. Some of the other songs may require a couple of listens, particularly the 9 minute I Want To Kill You Like They Do In The Movies, which is Manson's When the Levee Breaks (not a remake, just to be clear). Unlike albums such as Mechanical Animals, which has several songs that would instantly hook a fan, Low might not do that (with the exception of the Armageddon song), but if you're like me, it'll grow on you pretty quickly. For a treat, purchase the deluxe edition of this album, which includes six bonus tracks.