Customer Reviews

3

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This album is unfairly harped upon in many of the reviews here as a weak FIREHOUSE effort. In fact, while this album is softer than HOLD YOUR FIRE, probably the bands heaviest effort, the album as a whole is more similar to their first two albums than CATAGORY 5 is. The result is an album that strikes the middle ground. "Love is a Dangerous Thing" is a strong mid-paced rocker, somewhat in the lines of a softer "Reach for the Sky". "Here for You" and "I live my Life for You" are two of the bands best ballads. Quite simply, if you love the bands output (specifically CATAGORY 5), you should love this album. If you find either of their first two albums not heavy enough, you probably won't like this one. But if you're willing to respect music on its own terms, you'll find this to be a satisfying album. I read the negative reviews here, and as a result, waited a long time before finally buying it. The result? I was very pleasantly surprised. Buy it, and you will be too.

If you're into hair, melodic metal, you know Firehouse was a terrific band with a flavour all their own thanks to CJ Snare's very original voice and Bill Leverty's wonderful riffs writing and guitar playing. They wrote really exceptional melodic metal tunes in their career and this album makes no exception. Just to name some tunes I'd say that "Love is a dangerous thing", "What's wrong" and "Trying to make a living" are killer songs for real! KILLERS! And "Here for you" and "I live my life for you" perfect power ballads. All in all still a wonderful album from one of the top acts in hair metal! "Hold your fire", their second album to me is one of the greatest albums in melodic rock genre, but this one comes really close. I was perplexed when I was there to buy this one because I saw a lot of bad reviews around but I'm sorry, I don't agree at all. I'm so glad I did buy this one on the spot (even because it's not available anymore)! I own this album now and it's just as good as I think an album from Firehouse should be. I don't know if it's because this album came out in a bad year for music (grunge period uh?) and I don't know if the people is hard against this album because of the latter weaker albums but this one is still very very solid. Believe me. If you loved the first two efforts from the band you'll love this one too. Some people talks about a change in style here, but I really can't understand what they're saying. They're totally wrong. Firehouse produced here just another winner hair metal, melodic, anthemic, AOR, Arena rock masterpiece in their vein. They didn't softer their style a bit here. The sounds are still the same, the writing still very solid and very near HYF. The continuity is complete. The title here is 3 exactly because it is the third album in a straight line. Absolutely NO style changes here. And absolutely five stars for me. Infact the right title here would be 5 not 3. Buy it if you'll love the earliest albums from the band, you'll love 3 too.

A lot of fans question this album and the direction the band seems to take on this one as compared to thier previous releases. The bottom line is, that this is an amazing album with a tremendous mix of acoustic and electric guitar rock. The riffs are terrfic and the drumming is very solid, with one song that really spotlights that instrument. The vocals are just spectacular and very strong. Overall, this album does seem to be diferent for this band, but it is a fresh new direction for them and showcaes their growth and diversity in musical style. I Love it and strongly recommend it. If you really love great melodic rock, you will not be disappointed with this album.

I'm not quite sure what Firehouse was after with this release. While not an about face or a surrender to the changing times (1995/Grunge, etc.), it is nonetheless a departure for the band. Gone is the less serious, crank it up and party sound so much enjoyed on the first two albums. Instead, we have a cautious turn towards a more serious sound. What remains is a CD that is in the middle of somewhere, with no songs staying with you. As usual the band does provide some excellent musical arrangements and it is always evident that Firehouse are professional musicians. A needed addition for the Firehouse fan but if you are looking to get to know the band, try their self-titled debut; one of the best Rock CD's of the '90's.

Firehouse is one of the greatest current American rock bands. If so
why they are not on the Billboard like Goo Goo Dolls, Metallica or
Korn? It is not their fault. It is simply because they are poorly
promoted in the U.S. It is a pity a great number of serious rock fans
who might love their sound would never know they exist at all.

Their third album 3 is a good place to start to get to know them if
you are a fan of 80s pop hard rock. I Live My Life For You is one of
the greatest rock ballads of 90s. It is exactly the type of rock
ballad Ron Nevison might like. Ron did great arrangement in Survivor's
Search Is Over, Chicago's Look Away back in 80s. And in 90s he did it
well in I Live...

So excellent is I Live My Life For You, the rest
of the tracks sound weak. But with repeated listens you will encounter
great rockers such as Love Is A Dangerous Thing or Get A Life or
acoustic ballad such as Here For You and No One At All.

Currently
they've got support from Japanese record company and thanks to the
label you can still listen to their great rocks in Category 5 and
their latest O2(released only in Japan).

While Firehouse can still rock with the best of them, the boys from New Jersey take a little more serious approach to rock with "3". Unfortunately Firehouse uses mostly ballads and slower track, unlike their first 2 albums. even still, Firehouse mastered ballads and "I Live My Life For You", is one of the best they ever did. This is a must have for any true fan of the late 80s early 90s rock scence.

This CD is a bit frustrating. There are six REALLY good songs and the rest are just so-so, in my opinion. "Love Is A Dangerous Thing" & "What's Wrong" are two great songs and a nice way to open the CD. "Trying To Make A Living" is a song that we can all probably relate with in some way. It's a awesome song, nontheless. "Here For You" & "No One At All" are great ballads. They have that semi-acoustic feel to them. Then there is the big hit from the CD, "I Live My Life For You". This is a Firehouse staple (famous sappy, but good, power ballad) song. It got the most airplay out of any single. It was one of the best power ballads of the 90's, in my opinion. But overall, the rest of the songs are very average. That's what is so frustrating about this CD. The six I mentioned are 6 of the best songs the band has EVER done. Then the rest are "blah". Can I get a 'perfect middle', please? I would still recommend it to anyone who is a fan of this band or this kind of music. The six good songs are definately worth the price of the CD.

Full of cliches, both lyrically and musically. Derivative drivel with embarrassing lyrics. The hit single is not strong enough to carry this. Don't waste your money or your time.

I'm not sure what surprises me the most: that Epic released a new album by Firehouse in 1995 (at the height of alternative rock's popularity) or that Firehouse recorded an album so completely untouched by current trends. I have to give the band credit for sticking to their tried and true melodic rock (or maybe "hair metal") sound when that kind of music was so loathed by radio and MTV, even if it didn't do their career any favors.

3 is the same kind of album as Firehouse and Hold Your Fire. It's a completely upbeat melodic rock album with catchy party anthems ("Love Is a Dangerous Thing", "Somethin' `Bout Your Body") and weepy power ballads ("Here For You" and "I Live My Life For You"). Firehouse pretty much perfected that sound earlier in the decade, so 3 is a very strong album if you're a fan of that kind of music. Yes, the cheese factor is pretty high and it sounds horribly dated, but again, if this kind of music is your thing, that's going to be a plus.

The party was long over by 1995, but apparently nobody told Firehouse, and the result is one more enjoyable melodic rock album that should appeal to anyone who grew up in the big hair era. I'll take 3 over a case of pretentious, moping 90's alterna-rock discs any day.

This is a good album from Firehouse, one of my favorite bands...great Lyrics and not just from the ballads