Customer Reviews

Cartel

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For members of any scene, there will always be "that band" that, upon first listen, not only catches your ear, but earns your devotion as well. They become your little secret and you rue the day they go mainstream because you know it's inevitable. Case in point: Cartel.

In late 2005, Cartel released their full-length debut, Chroma, an album full of sure-fire hits that never were. So how does a band follow up their masterpiece that went relatively unnoticed? Easy--they grab a major label, along with a ton of Dr. Pepper and KFC, move into a bubble for 20 days, and document the process. With such a prime music-making habitat and fine nourishment, would Cartel finally showcase their true potential to the masses? Hertz would have been a more appropriate sponsor for their show, because the answer is "not exactly."

Kicking off "Cartel" in a peculiar manner is "The Best," an eerie track about love and coping. Vocalist Will Pugh wastes no time showcasing his heavenly voice, accompanied only by Joseph Pepper's (no relation to the Dr.) entrancing guitar. Luckily this intriguing, yet decidedly not pop-punk, sound doesn't last for long.

"Tonight" and "Lose it" drastically pick up the pace and re-familiarize fans with the classic Cartel sound that infamously lingers in listeners' heads.

The album's fun factor takes a dive with "No Subject (Come With Me)" as it strolls along at an almost painfully leisurely rate. "I Will Hide Myself Away" elevates the tempo and enjoyability with its refreshing sound and lyrics, only to be marred by a seemingly different song that has inexplicably been tacked onto its conclusion. It appears that the unwanted bonus is a continuation and mutilation of the already peculiar introductory track.

As this self-titled disc reaches its core, we're greeted by two of the catchier tracks on the CD. Add the Boys and Girls Choir of Harlem to an up-beat, horn-heavy ballad, and you've got "Wasted," a track that makes wasting life sound absolutely wonderful. This beautifully grim gem is followed by "The Fortunate," a song that's a capella opening and radio-friendly nature is sure to draw Bon Jovi comparisons.

"Hey, don't pay no mind/we are the second you're minutes behind/so you say 'yeah I'm alright'/you are the fortunate all the time," sings Pugh.

The latter half of "Cartel" is composed of slow to mid-tempo ballads, which aren't bad, but are most definitely not the fun, poppy songs that fans have come to expect.

"If I Were to Write This Song," the last official track, is a complete 180-degree switch from any music Cartel has released. It has the bluesy swagger of a Stevie Ray Vaughn song with the addition of an organ's accompaniment, making it sound like the most epic hymnal from the Deep South that never was. A strange but fulfilling end this would have been. However, another seemingly pointless song excerpt has been added, sending the high note that Cartel would have gone out on, right off key.

The asinine Wyclef Jean remix of "Wasted" serves as a bonus track and is one of the oddest combinations this side of Nicole Richie and healthy living. Starting off in a well-to-do manner with its playful Reggae vibe, the song plunges once Wyclef's fragmented and laughably bad anti-war verse kicks in.

And yet, although their self-titled release lacks the fun, anathematic power-pop of Chroma, it does possess a sound that's as sweet as the Georgia peaches that grace its cover, if slightly more bitter.

The first half of the tracks were pretty boring, not catchy and ran together for me the first few listens. I didn't really feel like the Cartel I know and love came through until "Wasted" and then carried through the rest of the album.

However, with each listen, it becomes more familiar and I'm really starting to appreciate it.

Fantastic follow up album, although initially the first listen was disappointing. But I find that to be the case with most stellar albums, it gets better and better with each listen. Not a big fan of the Wyclef remix but overall this is a great record, not as good as Chroma, but close.

Well, I had high hopes for this album after first hearing "Lose It" a few months back. I was a little disapointed with Will's vocals. He doesnt really push them hard like in Chroma. Is it me or does alot of the songs sound the same? I have a bit of a drive in the morning, so when I was listening to it, it wasn't long before I was at track 5 and hadn't even noticed the songs inbetween.

I fell in love with Chroma within a days, but so far it's been a week and I still don't really like it. When you're stuck in a bubble for 20 days, I guess this is the type of music that comes out. Their whole publicity stunt sold me and that was their aim..........

I do not regret this purchase at all; Cartel is a fantastic band with fantastic music. Cartel's first album, Chroma, was amazing; and with this second, self titled album, they prove that they aren't slowing down at all.

I like every song on this CD; some more than others, but all are a joy to listen to. The only problem that I have is; some of the songs are for some reason divided into two parts. The song plays, then ends; a pause, then a totally different sounding song starts after that. This doesn't make much sense to me; they could have just split them up into two different tracks. This relates to "I Will Hide Myself Away" and "If I Were to Write the Song". (Sometimes I'll FastForward to get to the second part b/c I like it better)

Another point; I don't like profanity in my lyrics, I always look up lyrics before I buy a CD and decide based off those lyrics. I really respect Will Pugh (lead singer and song writer) for being able to create amazing and memorable lyrics, without all the regular (mindless) profanity of most music out today.

Bottom line, buy this album; not just for fans of Chroma; newcomers will like this too.

Satisfaction guaranteed (well, not really; some people just don't know good music when they hear it)

While I see some reviews stating how this CD is not as good as the first, I think it suits Cartel just fine. It takes a couple of listens but the same good fun in the first CD is here in the second. Great fun and a great listen.

I like nearly every song on this disc. A great follow up album to their first. I own all three of their albums (Cycles is the latest) and this one is my favorite. They are a fantastic band to see live, so much talent. I really enjoy their sound and am happy they keep producing great songs.

This album is kinda stupid. It's boring, faceless, and seems like almost no effort was put into it. Stick with Chroma- it's a much better CD than this one.

Cartel has really matured and evolved since their first CD and it's evident in this album. The songs sound less punk and more mellow and it definitely resonates with me. My favorites are Tonight and Georgia. If you're a Cartel fan, get this CD and you won't regret it. If you haven't listened to Cartel, I strongly recommend you buy this album because they're a great band that are still up and coming. You won't be disappointed.

This is my first Cartel CD, and I think it's pretty good. There weren't any particular songs on the album that blew me away, and there are a couple that I always skip, but overall it's solid album that I enjoy listening to.