Customer Reviews

American Lesion

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've had this cd for about 4 years, and every time I listen to it I feel refreshed and somehow more introspective about life and relationships in general. When you listen to this cd, you hear the innermost personal thoughts and feelings of a man who isn't exactly known for expressing them in his other songs.

I think what made me a hardcore fan of Bad Religion in the first place was their soaring vocal harmonies and incredible sense of melody (not to mention the thought-provoking lyrics), and Greg displays his ample talent on this masterpiece with passionate delivery, playing, and verse. Although, like I said, I'm a BR fan as well, I also love more slower, acoustic kinds of music and so was not disappointed at all with American Lesion. However, if you're a punk/BR fan who is buying this cd in expectation of blazing guitars and galloping beats, you'll be sorely disappointed. Well actually, maybe you won't...from what I've read and heard, most Bad Religion fans who bought this were pleasantly surprised to find that they actually enjoyed and appreciated it.

Back to the cd itself...The fact that Greg plays all of the instruments and does all the vocals himself is impressive enough, without taking into account the fact that the song-writing process itself must have been a somewhat painful one. I've read that Mr. Graffin was going through a divorce around the time he made this cd, and the lyrics to some of these songs serve as a reminder of the emotional agony he must have been going through. Interestingly enough, the saddest song on the cd, "Maybe She Will", is musically the most upbeat. But just listen to the words.

Greg's vocal ability truly shines through on this cd as well. He has an incredibly unique voice; it isn't a so-called "pretty" one, but I like it that way. It's rich and ragged, with a depth and sincerity to it that is rarely found elsewhere in the music world. And not only that, but the man knows how to hit his notes--listen carefully to the end of "Fate's Cruel Hand" and you'll hear him hit a high note in flawless fashion, which is quite the feat for a deep-voiced man such as himself.

I've heard recently that Greg is planning to make an "American Lesion 2" sometime latter this year. Please Mr. Graffin, DO IT! Your efforts and talent will be truly appreciated.

I've been a Bad Religion fan since they came out, and have found them to be very adaptable. From their technically shaky 'How Could He$% be Any Worse' beginnings to their morally uplifting and melodic 'Streetkid Named Desire,' they have changed with the definition of punk (or against that definition if you consider Blink 182 and Good Charolette punk.)

But this time, singer and all-around genius Greg Graffin has really outdone himself. And that's a difficult thing to say for a man with a career that has spanned 3 decades and helped to define a genre. All Bad Religion fans will love hearing an acoustic version of 'Cease,' most will identify with the heartfelt 'Opinion,' and almost all who give it a chance will find the tunes catchy. But there's more to it than a few catchy tunes. If you think this sounds remotely adult-contemporary but somehow doesn't suck, you're onto something. Something we'll hopefully see more of in the future. A new chapter in the genre that is punk. Hey, it had to happen. A lot of us true punks are pushing 40 and although three chords and distortion will never die, something new had to come out. Greg found that, and did it in a way true punks, pop junkies and true adults will appreciate. I think the real question is when will we get to hear NOFX emotionally singing 'Hotdog in a Hallway.'

My only critique is this album's extremely quiet release. If more people were exposed, I think Blink 182 and Brittney Spears would sell fewer records, and Fat Mike would be shopping for an acoustic bass. This could be the first step towards a musically enlightened mass. Thanks Greg. Please give us more.

Bad Religion have been a somewhat frustrating band to follow because of their doggedly clinging to their signature style. With very few exceptions, every song they put out is a punk/hard rock song. Even Greg Graffin's lyrics, while suggesting he's no half-assed teenaged anarchist, tend to grate after awhile. I mean, I'm a college graduate too, but I don't go around muttering about the lugubrious moiety of sycophantic troglodites, or whatever.

So, imagine my grin when I plopped "American Lesion" onto the platter and found that Greg had finally let the heart of his music shine through -- the melody. Yessir, that's what BR is about (or at least why I'm a fan); catchy pop tunes sung with passion. Almost all of these tunes could easily have been Bad Religion songs with the same old instrumentation and a few 4-syllable words tossed in. But Greg shows admirable restraint with both the vocab and the guitars. It's a jaunty, piano-driven album that even features a sappy (but hopelessly catchy) love song, "Maybe She Will." That song, along with "Opinion," "Fates Cruel Hand," and a couple of others, are the highlights of what should be a very satisfying diversion for long-time BR fans, provided they can bear to admit they actually do like something besides punk rock.

So, it isn't perfect, but it is extremely pleasant . I hope Greg sees fit to put out another "Lesion." I'll be waiting with my credit card number.

This is a fantastic album by a brilliant artist. You don't need to be a Bad Religion fan or punk rock fan to appreciate this album. Though if you go in to it thinking it is going to be similar to stuff Bad Religion puts out you might be disappointed at first.

To me this just shows how much of a great tallent Greg Graffin is. He can go beyond his punk roots to write a great mellow album that seems very personal. If you appreciate great songwritting give this one a listen.

I got this CD not knowing exactl what to expect. I already loved Bad Religion, and Greg Gaffin's lyrical abilities had impressed me more than anyone I had ever heard before. But this CD is a leap of style from the hard core punk rock sounds of his headline band straight to.. uh... adult contemporary? It is an excellent album none the less, with lyrics and symbolism a lifetime of mainstreamers CDs won't have. An interesting thing to note, Greg did everything on the album. Every vocal, backup vocal, instrument, he did it all! That's just damn cool.

It is truly a shame that this, Greg Graffin's first solo effort, is out of print, because it is one hell of a fine album. Yes, it is more of a pop-rock album than a Bad Religion effort, and that has been off-putting to some fans. But, "Opinion," a chronicle of a relationship breaking down graced with the Graffin verbiage (favorite line: "and the resonance of my imperfection / broke the silence once more") is a great track. So is "Maybe She Will," a wistful, desperate hope-against-cold-truth that the departed lover just might change her mind. It captures that feeling so well that it hurts me to listen to it, even though my last painful break-up was over a decade ago. "The Fault Line" has a cool acoustic guitar part, and "Cease," a song that BR fans will know, is here in a stark piano-driven form.

If you are a fan of Greg Graffin or break-up songs (this album's impetus was Graffin's divorce), search this album out. I highly recommend it.

A rare talent like Graffin's should not be wasted on just one musical style, so while Bad Religion gives him an outlet for his intellient, socially-conscious, fast-paced melodic songwriting, flying solo allowed him to explore different angles vocally and produce more deeply personal lyrics that would have been somewhat inappropriate in a Bad Religion song (he took a chance in 1000 Memories from The New America and the oddly personal tone does stand out). Cease is one of the most exquisite songs I have ever heard, being musically, vocally and lyrically supurb, and exposes Graffin at his most vulnerable and emotive. The rest of the songs are well done, particularly Opinion, but I can't help but wonder what the album would have been like had Graffin not just been through a divorce. Sure it quite possibly could have been the driving motivation behind his venture into the solo realm and the devastating events in life often produce the best music, but I can't help thinking the divorce theme overshadows Graffin's talent somewhat in this album and he seems to be (understandably) too preoccupied with it. That said, a talent such as Graffin could not make a bad cd if he tried (yes, even Bad Religion's No Substance has some quality tracks on it) and even if Cease, which was originally written for Bad Religion, by far outdoes the rest of the songs on American Lesion, this is still a must for any Greg Graffin fan out there.

Greg's composition and arrangement are unique and enjoyable, while the lyrical side is much more exploratory than his work with BR. A very somber and almost dark piece of work, his rythyms and melodies call up images of the solitary and isolated lifestyles of many in the world today, while providing hooks that just stick in your head for days. Definitely worth a listen is you are just a BR fan or if you are truly interested in the more experimental side of Greg's artistry.

Yah this is a great album, one of the greatest albums Ive heard because of how emotional it is. I really admire Greg for producing this album, just something else to prove how much of a genius he is. I really like it because I can relate to him in all these songs, which makes this one of my favorite all time albums, and im a hardcore Bad Religion fan too, owning the whole discography. But no collection is complete without this album.

"Cease" has to be my favorite song on the album, keep in mind that its not all upbeat like the Bad Religion version. This version is really personal and just sounds really nice with Greg alone.

Looks like the album is out of print tho, it seems hard to get. If you ever get the chance to get this album and you are a fan of Gregs work than pick this up.

I purchased American Lesion having only a vague idea of what I would hear. I can faithfully say that the album itself (despite its numerous technical flaws) is a pleasent, piano dominated romp through Greg Graffin's mind. I have never heard an album that's songs touched me on such a personal level...especially the opening track "Opinion". Those who want hard edged, "guitar & harmonies" Bad Religion punk, STAY CLEAR. Those who appreciate Greg's lyrics, go for it. If you liked Bad Religion's "Into the Unknown" album, you will probably like this one.