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I’ve been listening to this CD for about a week now and I’d give it 3/5. Some of the lyrics are a bit cheesy and some songs end up being too radio friendly nu-metal. For example, 'The Dotted Line' is way too cliche with its song structure and it kind of bores me after a few listens. 'Stay Young' sounds like a song my little cousin would play in a mix CD with all her pop-punk bands. It actually reminds me of "One Thing" from Finger Eleven. They'd be smart not to release it as a second single. The instrumentals are amazing though and add a very nice touch to the album. So far Poughkeepsie, NY is probably my favorite song as of right now. Not just because of my hometown mention (he could be saying Detroit for all I care), it's more or so the message and the way the song carries itself. Coma Therapy, The New National Anthem, Hot/Cold (Darling, Don't) are also impressing me greatly. Love is Life and Night Falls is starting to grow on me and Daylight in the City is a just your typical 'end of record slow song.' Cocaine is still great, but I've listening to it a gazillion times and frankly I'm sick of it. But overall, this is much better than their debut and the Downside record.
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i like this record a lot.Originally posted by vsdComment
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After giving this a few weeks, I'd give it a 3.5/5 for a few reasons.
Firstly - I will ALWAYS want this band to succeed. Even if I prefer some of their older styles to some of the newer ones, I know they're sincere and they've been at this for a long time now. It would be a waste of a great band for these guys not to succeed enough to continue making the music they love.
Now getting to the record... I think that it's very fair to say that the dynamics of this band have changed quite a bit. I find the use of delay and reverb on the record to be very tasteful, and I'm impressed that they've managed to find ways to sound bigger and louder without just resorting to distortion. There's a lot more going on here than the simplicity that is present on so much of their last record. I absolutely LOVE the first track - one of my favorites of the year, so far. "Hot/Cold" and even "Cocaine" are also very enjoyable all the way through in my opinion.
The rest of the record, though, doesn't hit me the way I expected it too - certainly not a bad thing, albeit a bit of a letdown. So many of the songs... "The Dotted Line," "Daylight in the City," "Stay Young," "Love is Life" ... it seems that they all start out with really promising ideas that just never fully develop into what they could be. That isn't to say that Strata isn't good at writing songs, because they certainly are. But so much of it just strikes me as an attempt to be something they're not, like they're always overreaching their bounds or something. I don't know... I can't really place it, but there is a bit of a disappointment with every song. "Love is Life" in particular is fantastically understated and really has a catchy-ness to it, but it also gets VERY repetitive and after the third listen I feel stuck in time.
I want Strata to go far, and I think with this record I can feel their desire to maybe cut some corners and refine their sound so that they don't compromise on their freedom but at least cater to more of what people are listening to. And that's just fine, as long as their next record is a reflection of what they REALLY have inside of them. All in all though, far from a bad record.Originally posted by GnomadOriginally posted by auto-de-feComment
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Some of the songs on this album could be on Catch Without Arms, musically. I really enjoy it, regardless of how blatant dredg's influence may be, whether or not the band intended that or not. It will probably stay in my top 20 for the year.Comment
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i definitely get the catch without arms vibe from it. their rhythm section really reminds me of dredg...mainly the use of the hi-hat. and of course the delay...it's a crime that they don't have dredg listed as an influence, but death cab for cutie?Originally posted by vsdComment
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makes sense to me. dredg still isn't the most widely known band. if i was trying to tell people who i sounded like, i wouldn't use a band that they didn't know...even though that might be the best way to describe them.Originally posted by Lye In Your EyeOriginally posted by MadklikorComment
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I don't know, the songs from their myspace sold me. Sounds good.Comment
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Well they DO have dredg as their #1 friend on MySpace. Or at least they did a few days ago and over the last couple of years or so.Comment
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you are right, but that's the reason that genius tom created an "influences" section and a "sounds like" section.Originally posted by evasivetearOriginally posted by vsdComment
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Anyone has de link to download the torrent. I personaly liked the new material.Comment
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I really like what I've heard so far... big jump up. Leaning towards buying it.
EDIT: Yeah, I'm buying it.Comment
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Re: new strata song...
Haven't been on this site in ages, and just randomly popped in today to see I'm 3 months late to even knowing they were back together. Sweet.Comment
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