Staind - The Illusion Of Progress
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Free Music Notes for The Illusion Of Progress
Free Music Review: Each CD gets better and better
Hit: 5 Stars
I thought their last cd was by far the best, then I heard this one. Get it!Free Music Review: Is this progress really an illusion?
Hit: 4 Stars
Things are going very well for Staind. Professionally they are selling out stadiums and churning out hit after hit, selling albums like crazy. It becomes apparent though after listening to just the first track off their latest studio effort, `The Illusion of Progress', that personally they are doing pretty good as well. Yes, Staind's trademark lyrical message of depression and misery has been masked over for the most part, revealing a softer and more content side to the band. I personally am not apposed to this new side of the band (to be honest though, they've been headed here for some time now).
I have been a loyal fan of the band since the first time I heard `Mudshuvel', and I will remain one until they are no more.
I guess the best place to start is at the beginning. `This is It' immediately lets the audience know that this is a brand new Staind. The lyrical message is one of peace and contentment and the musicality is much more melodic and inviting than their previous work. The abrasive nature of their earlier music has been stripped away to reveal a brighter and softer surface, one that Aaron sinks right into. His voice has always been better suited for the uplifting and melodic musical offerings anyways. Another track that sports this construction is `All I Want', which I absolutely adore. It is completely removed from anything I would have ever thought would come out of this band that I just can't help but become enamored by it.
`Believe', this first single off the album, is a good song and I can see why they chose it as a single (for it captures the new direction the band is taking) but I can't really say that it is my favorite choice. Sure, it is a decent song and Aaron's vocals (especially on the bridge) are flawless, but when stacked up against their previous singles it just doesn't `stack up'.
`Lost Along the Way' is beautifully constructed, with intriguing guitar work and melodic vibes and an explosively pristine chorus that just begs the listener to sing along. `Raining Again' (which opens like Heart's `Alone') is probably the closest the album will see to the old Staind, lyrics wise, and it proves that the bands lives are not `perfect', even if they are considerably happier. It's also another track that uses Lewis' vocals to their utmost potential. When Aaron is pushed to his limits he gives me chills, and plenty of the tracks on this album allow him to do that.
`Pardon Me' was one of the first songs on the album that made me really sit up and take notice. It calls to mind Bob Seger, especially the verses, and it actually sent chills across my skin. It's a beautiful song of redemption and forgiveness and even quilt, and it just works magic on the listening ear. `Break Away' is probably the heaviest track on the album (this will upset fans of `Dysfunction' since this track is not technically `heavy') and it feels right. Aaron's screaming is more like yelling and sounds matured from his `Dysfunction' antics. I've always been a fan of his screaming voice, but at this point in their career his yelling here seems more appropriate. `Rainy Day Parade' is Staind's step into the political boat that every other band broaches these days. It works, but it never truly lifts off in my opinion.
`The Corner' is a beautiful song that just seems to glide over the eardrums like silk. Aaron just settles into this groove magically. The additional vocals get a little overwhelming towards the end, especially when considering that Aaron outsings all of them, but their inclusion is not enough to downplay the greatness of this very emotional and inspirational song.
Aaron Lewis has always made it a point to include at least one acoustic track, just Aaron and a guitar, and since listening to `Excess Baggage' (or more pointedly `Epiphany') it has been a facet of Staind's albums that I look forward to immensely. For `The Illusion of Progress' that said track is the beautifully touching `Tangled Up in You'. Aaron's voice is so soothing and calm, and the simple yet moving lyrics and musical arrangement only help to embellish his voice. Whether the song is about his daughters or his wife it doesn't matter for the words are touching and sincere and are easy for the listener to apply to those in his or her own life.
`The Way I Am' is one of my least favorite tracks on the album, not because it is bad but simply because I can't help but see areas in which I would have improved upon (especially with the chorus). It has its good moments (I love the way the song opens) but it is not as tight and polished as it should have been. `Save Me' is another track that just doesn't work for me, more so than `The Way I Am'. It just doesn't seem to offer much at all. I was really intrigued by the opening guitar work, but the style in which the song is sung and the meandering chorus put me off quickly.
The album's title, `The Illusion of Progress' is a very apt title, although I would make one minor adjustment and add a question mark to the title, making it read `The Illusion of Progress?' because the bands progress in general is all in the eye of the beholder and will most likely spark heated debate. Fans who adored the aggression and anger filled lyrics and musicality that fueled their early work like `Tormented' and `Dysfunction' may find themselves up in arms about the new direction the band has taken, but for those of us who have come to appreciate the band Staind has become, we can sink right into this new offering. Truth be told, Staind has been trying to find themselves since they appeared on the music scene, and somewhere between `Dysfunction' and `Chapter V' they did just that, and `The Illusion of Progress' further proves that this is where Staind feels most comfortable.
I am in the minority when I say that Staind started off strong, sunk low and then gradually has built themselves back up. I adore everything about `Dysfunction' (and even `Tormented' to an extent), but I feel that `Break the Cycle' was a step down (a few at that) for the band. They just didn't seem comfortable with their sound. They were trying to mix the melodic with the heavy and it was coming off distant and unnatural for them. `14 Shades of Grey' was a step up from there, but it wasn't until `Chapter V' was released that Staind was able to define the band they really wanted to be. If you look at `Chapter V' as their definitive album then `The Illusion of Progress' feels right, very right.
The closing track `Nothing Left to Say' is brilliant, musically and lyrically just brilliant. All I have to say is that I hope Staind never runs out of things to say.
Free Music Review: Illusion Is A Solid Follow Up.
Hit: 4 Stars
I have been a fan of Staind since the beginning. I own all six albums they have released. I love Staind's heavy sound from their earlier work and also enjoy their more toned down sound that fans have come to hear on their last few efforts. While I do like their slow songs, their upbeat, heavy and catchy chorous songs are more my cup of tea.
This brings me to their sixth studio album The Illusion Of Progress. I loved Chapter V and thought it was one of their best albums. So, eagerly waiting for Illusions for three years I had very high hopes of what was next. Also, the band even said that their next album would be their heaviest yet. That got me really pumped. Well... Illusions is by far their SOFTEST album to date, but it's not a bad thing and certainly not a bad album because of that. The album starts off very good with what is probably one of the heaviest songs on the album "This Is It". It's a great song that gets the album off on the right foot. Followed by "The Way I Am" another solid song. Then their is the first single off the album "Believe" which is a really great sounding radio friendly song, I would compare this to "Right Here" and "It's Been Awhile" off their earlier work. After "Believe" there is "Save Me" another highlight off the album for me personally. It starts off slow but is followed by a really uplifting and catchy chorous. "All I Want" is a solid track with Aaron
belting out /You're all I dream about/I can't live without/ All I think about/ All I want is you/.
The album starts to take a turn downward after the first couple of great and solid tracks. "Pardon Me" can easily be skipped over along with "Lost Along the Way". I just couldn't get into either one of theses songs. They might appeal to others, but I just wasn't feeling them. Things pick up after the dismal "Lost Along the Way" with another solid track "Break Away", it really sounds like Aaron was trying on this one to get back to that deeper angry sound on the chorous,/Break away, never show it /Break away, how I feel/If I could break away/. After this is "Tangled Up In You". This is a really slow song, and while its an excellently written song and Aaron's voice is to perfection, it's just not for me. Doesn't means it's bad cause it's not. Things pick up again with my personal favorite "Raining Again". This songs just feels like it was written for me, which is why I was hooked to it after first listen. Following this is "Rainy Day Parade" maybe the only other heavy song on the album, which isn't saying much, but it is another of the highlights of the album. Illusions wraps things up with "The Corner" and "Nothing Left To Say". "The Corner" is my pick for worst song on the album and "Nothing Left To Say" ends the album very blandly.
Overall Staind's latest is a very solid release. Fans wanting to hear another Tormented or Dysfunction will be very let down by this release. Fans who enjoyed Break The Cycle may even be disappointed by this. I would say honestly this most closely sounds like 14 Shades. If you are a die hard Staind fan like me, then buy this album now! If you have doubts, check it out first from someone you know that might have it and decide then. I personally hope Staind's next effort is more present with their earlier hard and heavy sound then what they have come out with as of late. Regardless, I will support whatever they come out with in the future.
My picks: Best
1. This Is It
2. Believe
3. Save Me
4. Raining Again
5. Rainy Day Parade
6. Break Away
Worst:
1. The Corner
2. Nothing Left To Say
3. Pardon Me
4. Lost Along The Way
Favorite Staind Albums In Order:
1. Chapter V
2. Break the Cycle
3. The Illusion Of Progress
4. 14 Shades Of Grey
5. Dysfuntion
6. Tormented
Free Music Review: A great album that can hold its own despite the critics
Hit: 4 Stars
The Illusion of Progress is a great record that can easily be considered a sequel album to both Chapter V and Shades of Gray. Sure, there are parts where this album does come up below the bar that is set by the handful of singles it features. What do people honestly expect from a rock band that's already established itself? Some new groundbreaking opus? They're not the hot new band shadowing Fred Durst anymore and they're very well aware of it. 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. Now, they sing about life's challenges with a more mature tone, willing to allow some light to shine with their defining darkness.
Sure, this album may not have half of the album in the top 40, but it still has singles worth looking into. '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. '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. 'Tangled Up In You' is an excellent and unexpected love song with a timeless feel. '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. It is how we deal with these challenges that defines us. Whether we are able to disillusion ourselves or progress down the road, either way we still need to believe.
Free Music Review: Going downhill?
Hit: 4 Stars
As a fan of Staind, I found The Illusion Of Progress to be a pleasant surprise, because I thought it was going to be a mixed bag due to the reaction from critics and audiences alike. It's probably true that this is the band's weakest album, since a majority of the songs don't have the dark, melodic sounds of Dysfunction & Break the Cycle (as well as the catchy lyrics from 14 Shades of Grey & Chapter V). But it's not really a bad album. Indeed, some of the songs are really nothing special, but others can be really good after repeated listening. The first two songs (entitled "This is It" and "The Way I Am") are probably the best songs on Illusion. "Believe," one of the singles, is good, but I don't consider it great. "Save Me" is one of the soft & melodic songs, and I admire the lyrics, but not so much the music. After the fairly mediocre "All I Want," "Pardon Me" and "Lost Along the Way" brings Illusion up a few notches. After the lovely "Break Away," the next song sounds like it comes straight out of a country album. "Tangled Up In You" isn't necessarily bad; it's just that it sounds nothing like Staind, both old or new. It doesn't even sound like "Epiphany" from Break the Cycle. But anyway, the last four songs on the album make for a decent conclusion.
I wouldn't say that I'm greatly impressed with Illusion, but it's enough for me to like it. But is it true that Staind is going downhill with this album? I wouldn't say so, but if they turn into something more pop-like, then I WILL say they are.
Grade: 7/10