Customer Reviews

Better Than Blood

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Better Than Blood
Megan McCauley's debut album "Better Than Blood" has a bit of a split personality, which may leave the casual listener confused as to what sort of artist she is. Part glam rock, part goth, and part edgy pop, "Better Than Blood" represents several years of singing and songwriting, as McCauley has attempted to find her place on the radio and in the hearts of fans. The album is worthy debut, with rockers like "Wrong Way Out", party-ready tunes like "Tap That", and soft, vocally carried tracks such as "Porcelain Doll". Yet, something is still lacking. Perhaps a little more time and a little more focus will produce something better than "Better Than Blood".

Old fans of Megan's (including myself) have been waiting since 2005 for this album to be released. While it has been a long wait, after listening to the album, it was all worth it for me. Full of great rock songs, 'Better Than Blood' more than makes up for lost time between the release of her debut EP and now. Tracks like "Fragile" and "Tap That" get you up and rocking in no time, while rock ballads "Reverie" and "Porcelain Doll" leave you in a retrospective state of mind. My personal favorite track on the album is the pop/rock ballad "Come to Me", which combines strings, rock guitars, and semi-slick production to make perfection. Overall, the album is a great debut album and Megan will definitely be making waves with it.

I first heard of Megan McCauley through her song Wonder, an absolutely fantastic song, on the Elektra soundtrack. Wonder also appears on this album along with several other great songs. Most of the album has a hard core Blues type sound. You can hear a more melodic, smoother Janis Joplin influence. And then you get to Tap That. Tap That, a bubbly pop song, is completely out of character with the rest of the songs on the album. Unfortunately, it gets stuck in your head and you regretfully find yourself finally liking the song - at least I did. Megan McCauley has a powerful voice and uses her music to deal with a turbulent home life. There is a fair amount of profanity in several of the songs. This is an insanely good debut album and is definitely worth a listen.

I came across Miss McCauley on Pandora Radio. The first song I heard was Reverie and I was hooked immediately. The girl has a powerful voice, singing some incredible tunes. I'd put this up there with one of my favorite recordings I've purchased in a while.

If you like powerhouse women singers, Better Than Blood is a must have.

I missed this album when it first came out (2007 kind of just circled the drain, long story) - but in updating my collection and realizing I'd never looked Megan back up to see if she got past the red tape and other garbage to get her long awaited BTB out...I found it on Amazon for an obscenely low price. Now: This is a really, really great CD, and the songs are well written, deep and professionally presented - I didn't know until I just wikied Megan that she is 22 years old. That's right - she is my son's age, and writing the poetry and lyrics of a 40 year old that's lived more like 80 years. This is far from the daisies and white gown stuff Taylor Swift and others are turning out, and even next to those who've gotten famous for their angry music (another reviewer mentioned Morrisette, right on the money), this work makes that stuff look like the only thing A.M. has gone through is that nobody would sit with her at lunchtime. Deep from the gut - play "I'll Pay You To Shoot Him" and you know that next time somebody $#$@# Megan over, she will be calling you to come bail her out because she's done getting kicked around: this is organized mayhem, and it works. I also really like "Fragile", "Wrong Way Out" and "Porcelain Doll", but the entire set is a solid A to A plus. People might read this review from a woman whom, as I said, has a son Megan's age and think, Well, how hip can it be?, and I want to reiterate: This is angry, borderline-goth music that's aimed right at Megan's own age group. Me, I like it because I can identify with what she's gone through, but I'm not the target audience and I know it. Megan's telling her main listening audience, We're still young enough to change things, we're young enough not to have to put up with any crap, anymore. I wish we'd have had Megan around when I was younger instead of the bubblegum garbage that was all over radio (and this was before Ipods, I thought I was going to end up doing a Van Gogh and cutting my ears off) - it may not have taken me so long to get as pissed off about everything as I am, finally. Nuclear fallout on the horizon? Strap up, cover your head and play this music as you're climbing over the rubble -

never heard bfore, but loved her voice, music and words. I hope she does another album. awesome is all I can say

I first heard Megan's voice on the Elektra soundtrack and was instantly enthralled. I've been waiting a long time for her first CD to come out and it's Awesome !! I love her voice !! Not to mention shes very easy one the eyes. The CD has a nice range of songs from ballad style to rockin. I'm eagerly awaiting her next CD or hopefully she'll tour and play in a club near Minneapolis.

unlike 99% of he other cute chicks trying to make it in the music business-she has that certain imp-glint in her eyes-plus she is likely Irish-from the olde sod, may the Pope bless her-and that red hair... ....OK...lets get a grip here-back to business;
Given some time and some backing that would have her ditch the bursting at the seams group of duff/lavinge
(lavauge?)/sweetham teen alt crowd wanna-be's; there is something there-true-she is cute-which is a handicap she can overcome with time-by cultivating the craft/arts of good writing, arranging, playing & singing-and not being the poodle of some producer-I only listen to people who can write and arrange their own music(assuming thats even the case.)Rest assured Ill be keeping a sharp eye on you...

(it is too bad Amazon doesnt make way for non rateable commentaries-sometimes it is appropriate-cause I cant really judge enough on the little Ive heard while promsing-giving any stars would be dishonest at this point (so, I guess 2.5-the mean average-statistically-which comes out at three stars -will have to do)

It's hard to review this album, because it feels like it's from two or three different artists.
Megan McCauley is a singer who got attention thanks to "Wonder" on the Elektra Soundtrack (How I found out about her) and then "Die For You," and "Reverie" on the Fantastic Four soundtrack.
Then a song titled "Tap That" came out.
While I enjoyed the song, I thought it was a little ridicoulous. If not for it's excellent production, it wouldn't have been very good.
Now we got this album thrown on us.
Some of the "new songs" (not on previous recordings) are excellent, such as "I Realize," and "Porclean Doll."
Only the whole middle of the album of the old songs is the best part.
Anything after them is pretty good, bordering on a combination of Evanescence and Avril Lavigne.
Unfortunately, some songs like "Migraine," and "Come To Me," tend to lean too much towards Avril and become like rip-offs of a more accomplished artist.
And that's not neccessary, because she's a better singer than Avril.
"Wrong Way Out," tells us the exact opposite.
Then "Porclean Doll" tells us she is an excellent singer.

I would usually never reccomended downloading songs (i hate ipods and digital downloading), but if you own the songs from the soundtracks, I would suggest picking and choosing.
I would reccomended "I Realize," "I"ll Pay You To Shoot Him," "Porclean Doll," and "See Through."
This probably all depends on taste, but from Megan McCauley I got a gothy, punk rock sound from her. But what I got in the end was poppy punk-pop with only somg songs showing the gothic songs.

Do goth/punk rock again Megan, and you can propel to the mainstream, or at least grow far more popular and sell more albums in the underground scene, the people who have lost some respect for some of this music.
And put "Die For You" on your second album, as the last track because it's so good. More like it would make you one of the greatest artists of all time.

Not quite better than blood but it does have some very cool tracks. A bit more edge than the fluffy manufactured pop people's garbage. Great lyrics, great voice, great sound!