Customer Reviews

In Casino Out

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Okay, so Sparta is generally acknowledged as a great band and the Mars Volta are called geniuses. I dunno...I've got the records, and they're alright, but nothing can beat the albums that members of the two aforementioned groups put out under the name At the Drive-In. All of the records rocked, seriously, but "In Casino Out" is probably the band's most intense musical statement, and one of the most intense records I can remember hearing.
On "In Casino Out," the twin-guitar attack of Jim Ward and Omar Rodriguez sizzles--their jagged and angular post-punk riffage (rock critic analogies abound when describing these guys) propels so many of the songs into classic territory, like the dissonant "Pickpocket" and the lumbering syncopated riffs of "Lopsided." Even more conventional tunes like "For Now...We Toast" sound revolutionary, and that's also due to Cedric Bixler's vocalization and lyrics. The songwriting is superb, and even though many of the lyrics read like pissed-off tone poems, with very abstruse pronouncements, every tune has something in it, emotionally, that the listener can identify with. The mostly delicate, meticulous "Napoleon Solo" is one of the most beautiful songs the group ever recorded. Right when Cedric hisses "Cut and paste/Are you sitting down?," your attention is grabbed. I don't think rock 'n' roll was ready for a band as intense as At the Drive-In and I don't think we'll ever hear another band like this again.

More refined than Acrobatic Tenement and without Ross Robinson's influence on Relationship of Command, In Casino Out is the quintessential release of At the Drive-In. An extremely raw and jagged album, In Casino Out is a true feel for the now-legendary band At the Drive-In, showing their punk rock roots and increadible ability to write driving, akward melodies.

In comparison to their other releases, In Casino Out is one of their best and most honest releases. While Relationship of Command is an excellent release under any standards, Ross Robinson's influence on the band made it more aggressive and smooth than any other release, a sign of a good producer. In Casino out, however, is as powerful, or more powerful, than the latter. Songs like "Chanbara" rely greatly on the proficiency of the two guitarists and their unique styles of playing, while a song like Alpha Centauri deals greatly with their ability to change the tempo of the song in between segments of it. The band's full ability can be seen on this record, not yet polished yet unrestrained and at their cataclysmic best.

This cd is my personal favorite out of all the releases, smoking the competition and providing a great staple of the sound of rock to come. Pick up a copy if you are already familiar with the At the Drive-In sound

At The Drive In have long been praised as one of the most innovative and extraordinary groups in music. However there was a time in their career when they were just finding their footing and growing into the monster they would become. The trial stage was "Acrobatic Tenement", but with this, their sophomore album "In/Casino/Out", At The Drive In displayed what they have been known for, for years now : Amazing song-writing. If you're not familiar with the early stages that the band went through to get to where they were, then this is of the utmost importance to listen to. Not just that, but it is even more evidence as to why At The Drive In was easily one of the best bands of the last 10 years, and one of the most inspirational and original groups to emerge in music.

"Alpha Centauri" opens the album in dizzying fashion, giving way to shattering guitar chords, frantic drumming, and a soulful performance by front man Cedric. Jim and Omar play off one another with interesting (and most impressive) guitar structures and progressions, that at most times will leave your jaw on the floor. However they are only complimented by Paul's rumbling bass lines and Tony's outlandish drumming. And this is just the first song. Don't get comfortable, because as quickly as "Alpha Centauri" ends, the jarring, schizophrenic "Chanbara" kicks in showcasing its wild yells, interesting drumming and excellent lyrics. You can hear a bit of Mars-Volta-ish style vocals during the verse, which was a sign of things that would come in the future after At The Drive In's break-up. But just as quickly as the band can floor you with the powerful tracks, driving numbers like "Napoleon Solo" and "Hourglass" show how diverse they can get at the drop of a hat. However I wouldn't say this is a difficult listen at all. "Hulahoop Wounds", "For Now.. We Toast" and "Transatlantic Foe" are all upbeat and accessible, but they are easily balanced out by more aggressive pieces like "Shaking Hand Incision" and "A Devil Among The Tailors." There's such a wide range of dynamics and writing on here, it's hard to get bored with anything the band presents.

Of all the 11 tracks to be found on the album though, "Lopsided" has got to be the absolute best. I will go as far as to say it's the best song the band has ever written. Now of course I hold a certain bias since it is both the first song I ever heard by the band and my personal favorite. Like all the songs found on the disc, the lyrics are absolutely stunning (Cedric is really one of the greatest writers in music) and the musicianship is unparalleled. Furthermore it's probably the most strikingly different tune that the band has ever recorded. While every song on the record is an instant classic in and of itself, "Lopsided" truly set the standard for what I held At The Drive In too.

After all is said and done, there is not a single moment on this cd that is anything less than enjoyable. While this album is not considered as great as their final album "Relationship Of Command", (I have no idea why though) "In/Casino/Out" is really a necessary purchase for all fans of the band, and indie-rock/post-hardcore in general. It was really the biggest stepping stone in the band's discography, and if it lead to great products like "Vaya" and "Relationship Of Command," it would seem like there is little to complain about. While "Acrobatic Tenement" was a bit pre-mature, "In/Casino/Out" was truly when this band become one of the innovators in modern music. Easily deserves the endless mass of praise.

Until recently I thought that the nineties was the decade music died. I lost hope in all new music as it was all recycled garbage. I never got into any of the music other people liked so I just stuck to classic music (the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, etc.) That is until my uncle told me about a little knwn band called At The Drive-In. He labeled them as "Rage Against the Machine", but without soul. How wrong he was. I went out and bought Realtionship of Command at Wal-Mart and put it on my stereo once I got home. My eardrums were bombarded with music, the likes of I had never heard. I listened to the CD constantly and I knew I needed more. I went out and bought this 1998 release, In/Casino/Out. This album is equally as good as Relationship if not better. It has heavy hitting songs like most of the songs on Relationship, but it also has more thoughtful songs than Relationship. "Hourglass" and "Transatlantic Foe" are masterfully crafetd songs and rank among (in my opinion) the best of all time. If you have lost faith in new music, or are just looking for somethingnew and different, buy this album.

Possibly. In/Casino/Out is much more raw than Relationship of Command and catchier than the Vaya EP. The songs have more of an emo-core feel to them than the material that followed Casino, and it works great. The vocals are harsh and emotional, and the music is complex and brilliant. "Lopsided" is one of my favorite ATDI songs of all-time, "Transatlantic Foe" is another ATDI favorite that gives new meaning to intense, and "Alpha Centauri" is a great opener. If you're a fan, you must by all means purchase this. Fans of punk, hardcore, emo, and rock in general will be pleased. At The Drive-In are one of the best "new" bands out there and should not be ignored. Purchase this now.

I think if you have to buy one CD by this band, it should be Relationship of Command, but if that disc gets you hooked, definitely pick this one up. Across ATDI's career, you can chart their evolution from punk band into more emo-based territory on this disc and then somewhere completely beyond either category on ROC. This disc lacks the punishing sonic quality of Ross Robinson's production, but more than makes up for it by having the occasional more ballad-esque tune (Lopsided). It also can't quite maintain the overall cohesion of ROC, and you may find your interest flagging somewhat through the middle, but hang on because the last three songs are all brilliant and point to the deeper and more intricate arrangments that are the best part of the next disc. For the non-ATDI fan, ROC will be a stunning wake-up call, but In/Casino/Out is definitely worth your time once you're hooked on this fantastic band.

At The Drive-In may only be batting .500 on this release, but a lot of what they have here is just incredible. "Alpha Centauri" and "Chanbara" both pick up the slack that Jawbox left when they broke up, and "Napolean Solo" starts off as a slow, swinging 6/8 ballad and slowly builds until they pummel with a ferocity that Unsane would be proud of.

Unfortunately, songs like "Hourglass" and "Lopsided" bore me to tears. If At The Drive-In can play off their strengths and avoid their weaknesses, they'll be the best band ever.

Somehow ATDI keep getting labeled as a pop punk or emo band. Pop punk bands write songs that are easy to listen to, and that people can relate to. Emo bands have become essentially pop punk bands but darker and edgier. At The Drive-In's songs are neither easy to listen to, or easy to relate to. From obstinate lyrics (Widows! An antique replacement/Widows! A briefcase filled with Mace/Widows! Six legged lost and found, found")to the bilingual lyrics ("Tour de force! Tour de force! De facto! Ayachuco! Ayachuco! Ayachuco!"), nothing about this album is easy. But it is oh so rewarding. Omar A Rodriguez-Lopez is a brilliant guitarist/songwriter/producer/musician, Cedric Bixler is a great singer (though more raw here than on the Mars Volta's recordings), Jim Ward is an excellent rhythm guitarist and backup vocalist, and the other two Sparta guys no one talks about aren't too bad either. This is more listenable than the Mars Volta, but far more engaging than Sparta's fairly bland releases. Anyone who says ATDI are a pop punk band are wrong. In fact, anyone who tries to stick a label on ATDI are wrong--this is just good music.

This is a stunning cd. The energy and emotion are beyond anything else that has been released recently. And to the reviewer Logan Buck.... it's kinda funny how you try to act smart, cause you aren't. Choose any single track on this cd and you will see that it is not 'lacking melodic structure' and is no way swamped in dissonance (which, by the way, isn't a bad thing, ever heard of atonal music, for those of you who don't know is when you avoid the use of a tonic and put equal importance on each of the 12 tones of the western chromatic scale, this usualy results in a large amount of dissonance). So, any potential buyers, don't be turned away by Logan Buck's faux 'music theory' because the guy is ignorant and knows nothing about the subject.

i started by getting the sparta cds, liked them, got mars volta, liked that too, heard about at the drive in so i went out and got in/casino/out. first time i listened to it, i thought it was average, a few more times and i got the hang of it, after a while it totally grew on me, this music really does grow the more you listen to it. i have ROC and acrobatic tenement and vaya, they are all very good, i feel this is a good medium of the albums. i can`t believe it took me so long to find this music, the only problem now is i can`t find any other bands quite like them, sparta is lacking, mars volta is going in a different direction........any suggestions?