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31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Solid, but not groundbreaking..., 18 Dec 2003
While the first full-length album by Canadians Billy Talent is as strong as one could wish a debut to be, it is not the genre-busting album that some reviewers have made it out to be. Amazon reviewers have an annoying tendency to review only the albums they love or hate, giving an inaccurate reflection of an album's virtue - it generally receives five stars, or just one.From start to finish, it is difficult to pick holes in this record, once you get accustomed to the nasal and brattish vocals of Benjamin Kowalewicz. The riffs are varied and inventive - see the middle eight of 'Try Honesty' - with plenty of catchy hooks to keep even the most sceptical listener interested. Billy Talent are a fusion of punk, prog rock and emo hardcore, and sound like a hybrid of The Offspring and At The Drive-In. 'Line and Sinker' in particular tips its' hat to the latter; it is a dead ringer for ATD-I's 'Pattern Against User'. The band have used clever time signature changes and dynamics to put across their aggression and energy; album-closer 'Voices of Violence' is a full-on aural assualt, and 'River Below' is a stomping tune with a simple, killer riff. 'Lies' has a pleasant feelgood factor with a serious undertone, while the obligatory 'We rock but we're kinda sensitive too' track ('Nothing To Lose') is a suprisingly good emo song. The album as a whole is characterised by clever vocal interchanges as well, adding a welcome extra layer to the band's sound, just about preventing it from becoming too one-dimensional. 'Billy Talent' doesn't get five stars here because the intial intrigue begins to wane towards the album's end - not a good sign of a 40-minute record. However, each song taken on its' own can easily stand up against anything the band's contemporaries (Thrice, Thursday et al) are producing. The potential is there, and Billy Talent have impressive songs (I imagine their live shows to be riotous) but it remains to be seen how much longevity all this angst can have...
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I fell in love, 28 Jul 2005
I fell in love with this album the first time I listened to it. What I think is a top notch album, maybe there will be accusations of 'billy talent arent punk' but I dont think that they are too bothered. Im not labelling them punk I just enjoy their music. Fast driving music. For me the guitar work of Ian D'Sa fooled me into thinking there were more than one guitarist in the band, he really is a top quality guitarist - just have a listen to the opening riff of River Below! The bass lines are also top notch too, not just a boring drone in the background but a driving force in the fast songs and some innovative fills. The vocal work is very good, the lead singers (ben) voice may annoy a few people but for me it just fits the songs. And the backing vocals are exceptional with Ian and the bassist making great contributions on most songs. My personal favourites of the album being.. This is how it goes - excellent start to the album, kicks it off with a bang Line and sinker - this really should of been a single, its just brilliant and so different to many songs I have heard. River below - the guitar work on this song is exceptional Nothing to lose - really good slower song. Overall the pace and guitar work drives this album along and I love it!!
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Billy Talent - BUY THE ALBUM!, 10 Jun 2005
Now when i first heard of Billy Talent, i hadn't heard any of there music, no i naturally judged them as your average punk band. Nothing is further from the truth! Billy Talent are an under-rated Punk Screemo band with such potential. The first song on the album will blow you away, and although they released 'Try Honesty', 'The Ex', and 'River Below' you really are touching the surface of this band. If you arent sure whether to buy it, i beg you 2, as i guarantee you will love it! The album has been rated 5 stars because every track is awesome! This really is my favouraite album, and a must have whether punk or screemo is your kick.
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