- Audio CD (20 April 2009)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Label: Search and Destroy
- ASIN: B001VKY73E
- Other Editions: Audio CD | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 64,017 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Following the implosion of former record label, Gut (via Institute Recordings) last year, Fightstar decided to form a joint venture with their management team (Search and Destroy Records) and self fund their third album. It was a risk, but much like Charlie Simpson's brave move to steer away from the manufactured pop word of Busted in search for respect and credibility with his new band, it appears to have paid off.
The quartet take a new, experimental step with Be Human whilst still maintaining their post-hardcore roots. You have to credit the four-piece for constantly trying to evolve their sound and clearly not wanting to be pigeon-holed into any particular genre. Co-produced with long term friend, Carl Bown, they drafted in a full 16-piece orchestra and school choir to create a diverse and ultimately huge sounding offering.
Opener, "Calling On All Stations", starts with slow orchestration under Simpson's soft vocals which leads into a powerful, guitar driven number. First single, "The English Way" introduces the choir to magnificent effect. The song is an anthemic sing-a-long with Dan Haigh showing off his talents with some buzzing bass lines. Latest single, "Mercury Summer" presents the band at their most melodic. A light and breezy number as a whole, it's perfectly executed with the duel harmonies of Simpson and Westaway.
"War Machine" is undoubtedly a stand out. The track has a distinctive, cinematic feel to it with the haunting strings and choir vocals to build a crescendo of noise. This could easily be the best track the band has ever written. Heavier moments can be found in tracks like "Colours Bleed To Red", "Chemical Blood" and "Damocles". The latter two combine the growling screams of Simpson with urgent strings whilst still showcasing powerful melodies.
One factor the band is often criticised for is the willingness to wear each member's influences on their sleeves. Arguably, this factor remains on the record. "The Whisperer" has Muse written all over it with its foot-tapping beat and hooky choruses. "Never Change" has a middle section harmony reminiscent of Weezer, while "Give Me The Sky" could easily be mistaken as a tribute for The Cure with its versus. But ultimately, the tracks don't suffer for it. They merely present the diversity of sounds found on this 12-track album.
"Tonight We Burn" is the electronic moment of the record. Preliminary lead by Westaway's soft vocals, it rides on top of the drum beats of Omar Abidi to create a track which proves a huge grower upon repeat listens.
The band chose to end the 46 minutes of running time with the ambient and epic builder "Follow Me Into The Darkness". This is the albums post-rock moment with beautiful violin's preceding a wall of passion with guitars, strings and piano.
As a complete body of work, this record ebbs and flows wonderfully to create a diverse and fulfilling set of tracks. Whilst the influences taken to create these songs are laid bare, it's an ambitious attempt that pays off which will surely allow the band to shake off Simpson's past and stand proud in the British alternative scene.
4.5/5
The quartet take a new, experimental step with Be Human whilst still maintaining their post-hardcore roots. You have to credit the four-piece for constantly trying to evolve their sound and clearly not wanting to be pigeon-holed into any particular genre. Co-produced with long term friend, Carl Bown, they drafted in a full 16-piece orchestra and school choir to create a diverse and ultimately huge sounding offering.
Opener, "Calling On All Stations", starts with slow orchestration under Simpson's soft vocals which leads into a powerful, guitar driven number. First single, "The English Way" introduces the choir to magnificent effect. The song is an anthemic sing-a-long with Dan Haigh showing off his talents with some buzzing bass lines. Latest single, "Mercury Summer" presents the band at their most melodic. A light and breezy number as a whole, it's perfectly executed with the duel harmonies of Simpson and Westaway.
"War Machine" is undoubtedly a stand out. The track has a distinctive, cinematic feel to it with the haunting strings and choir vocals to build a crescendo of noise. This could easily be the best track the band has ever written. Heavier moments can be found in tracks like "Colours Bleed To Red", "Chemical Blood" and "Damocles". The latter two combine the growling screams of Simpson with urgent strings whilst still showcasing powerful melodies.
One factor the band is often criticised for is the willingness to wear each member's influences on their sleeves. Arguably, this factor remains on the record. "The Whisperer" has Muse written all over it with its foot-tapping beat and hooky choruses. "Never Change" has a middle section harmony reminiscent of Weezer, while "Give Me The Sky" could easily be mistaken as a tribute for The Cure with its versus. But ultimately, the tracks don't suffer for it. They merely present the diversity of sounds found on this 12-track album.
"Tonight We Burn" is the electronic moment of the record. Preliminary lead by Westaway's soft vocals, it rides on top of the drum beats of Omar Abidi to create a track which proves a huge grower upon repeat listens.
The band chose to end the 46 minutes of running time with the ambient and epic builder "Follow Me Into The Darkness". This is the albums post-rock moment with beautiful violin's preceding a wall of passion with guitars, strings and piano.
As a complete body of work, this record ebbs and flows wonderfully to create a diverse and fulfilling set of tracks. Whilst the influences taken to create these songs are laid bare, it's an ambitious attempt that pays off which will surely allow the band to shake off Simpson's past and stand proud in the British alternative scene.
4.5/5
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Be Human [Explicit]
This album is fantastic. I used to be one of those people who associated this band with Busted and therefore would not imagine listening to their music, let alone buying their album.
I bought One Day Son... and was massively impressed with the album, so this one was a must for me, and I've got to say that it is better than One Day Son..., the songs are maybe not as catchy but from my point of view that just means that you don't get fed up of them so quickly. There is a perfect mix of shouting/singing and the music is as always brilliant.
Fightstar should be a lot bigger than they are, and this can only be because people are narrow-minded about the B-word, I recommend that anyone who refuses to listen because of that should think again.
This album is fantastic. I used to be one of those people who associated this band with Busted and therefore would not imagine listening to their music, let alone buying their album.
I bought One Day Son... and was massively impressed with the album, so this one was a must for me, and I've got to say that it is better than One Day Son..., the songs are maybe not as catchy but from my point of view that just means that you don't get fed up of them so quickly. There is a perfect mix of shouting/singing and the music is as always brilliant.
Fightstar should be a lot bigger than they are, and this can only be because people are narrow-minded about the B-word, I recommend that anyone who refuses to listen because of that should think again.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Fightstar, yet again, share their brilliant musical skills with the rest of the world. If you have not heard of or listened to Fightstar previously, I would strongly advise for you to listen to this album to get a feel of what they are about.
Iconic tracks such as The English Way and Mercury Summer show the soft, yet strong side of Fightstar's genre, whilst the heavier tracks such as Chemical Blood, Damocles and Colours Bleed To Red contrast most other tracks and show how Fightstar have the pure talent to quickly change between harmonics and something of a more intense composition.
The three new tracks; 28k Resolution, Its Blood Is Black and Mvua Myusi, are both quickly lovable and memorable, such like all of Fightstar's songs.
Iconic tracks such as The English Way and Mercury Summer show the soft, yet strong side of Fightstar's genre, whilst the heavier tracks such as Chemical Blood, Damocles and Colours Bleed To Red contrast most other tracks and show how Fightstar have the pure talent to quickly change between harmonics and something of a more intense composition.
The three new tracks; 28k Resolution, Its Blood Is Black and Mvua Myusi, are both quickly lovable and memorable, such like all of Fightstar's songs.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
darn tooting
Be human is a grand, fluid , over the top slab of post rock from a talented band who are beyond charlies old job digs now. Read more
Published 17 months ago by sean paul mccann
Worth it
Great album. The extra songs are good and the DVD of the live show is really awesome. Rare songs done in a way I haven't heard before.
Published on 21 April 2010 by Chris
Be Human
I love this album! It's an amazing mix of raw metal with some truly inspiring orchestral work. Charlie's voice is awesome throughout, and anyone who love their metal in the heavy... Read more
Published on 16 Feb 2010 by Ms. A. J. Farmer
wow just wow
Theres just something with this band they just cease to amaze me and thats very hard to do. When fightstar announced they were leaving gut instinct records alot of people... Read more
Published on 14 Feb 2010 by Ms. Lynne D. Durrant
Slow to grow on you but a fine album for sure
At first I will freely admit that I really disliked the first single 'English way' off this album and really wasnt struck after my first listen to this album. Read more
Published on 14 Aug 2009 by Michael Evans
Buy it!
Buy it! Recently discovered the band through the catchy "Mercury Summer" but the rest of the album is better. Read more
Published on 21 Jun 2009 by Debbie
what fightstar were born to be.
The fact that Fightstar have created their own independant label means that they have really been able to stretch their creative legs on this record. Read more
Published on 30 April 2009 by Ali
Dull
I've heard some of their stuff before and thought there were some pretty good songs, so I bought this expecting to hear and exciting young band. Read more
Published on 22 April 2009 by Jon
AWSUM
I loved the first 2 fightstar albums but i think this one is the best !!
Be human - is not as heavy as the previous 2 and i think will appeal to a bigger variety of... Read more
Be human - is not as heavy as the previous 2 and i think will appeal to a bigger variety of... Read more
Published on 20 April 2009 by G. Pugson
A new direction
Well I was a huge fan of the second album which i thought was a massive improvement on the first. Be Human seems to have taken a new direction and for the better, however i do feel... Read more
Published on 20 April 2009 by Scubasteve
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