Convicts [ENHANCED]

You Am I

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 23, 2007)
• Original Release Date: June 20, 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: Yep Roc Records
• ASIN: B000JJRXGQ
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #214,764 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Australian rockers You Am I, still chugging after nearly 20 years, rock like teenagers on Convicts while showing off the chops and punk-pop smarts that come with that kind of mileage. Part Replacements, part Clash with little pieces of a hundred other bands, the appealing directness of their sound is deepened by singer/guitarist Tim Rogers's songwriting chops and flair for clever, brutal lyrics. "Secrets" is a prime example--loaded with hooks and energetic guitar riffs, it's a shock after the blistering garage-band thrash that opens the record in the form of "Thank God I've Hit Bottom." The stylistic tendrils Rogers and the band have been extending since their 1993 debut Sound As Ever result in a diverse burst of songs that don't wear out their welcome (and the 36-minute run time helps as well). There are half a dozen pop nuggets here that, in a perfect world, would be on the radio every five minutes. But our world is not perfect, and so your only chance to enjoy them is to buy the record and relish the sound of professionals still sowing their wild musical oats. --Matthew Cooke

Product Description
One of Australia's most loved and successful bands return with their highly-anticipated seventh album, recorded in sixteen days over a three month period in five studios. Produced by Greg Wales in Sydney during 2005, it is described by Rusty as 'a little bit punk, a little bit psychedelic with a beating heart of pure energy.' Features the single 'It Ain't Funny How We Don't Talk Anymore'. This Limited Edition comes with a bonus CD featuring 11 track Triple J LIVE AT THE WIRELESS with special guests including Bernard Fanning (Powderfinger), Kram (Spiderbait), Adalita (Magic Dirt), Tex Perkins and many more! EMI. 2006.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rock's Not Dead, February 15, 2007

By	Waxl "badpoet" (Detroit, MI) - See all my reviews

Incredible mix of Replacements sloppy swagger and energetic Jam or Kink rock. The first 3 songs really stand out and leave you with that fist-pump, catchy chorus kind of happiness. This is for anyone who wished the Replacements never ended or just want to once again realize that there are bands out there still making energetic, hard rock (not all the world listens to pop, hip hop and emo). If you want to preview a song somewhere the real gem on the cd is "It Ain't Funny How We Don't Talk Anymore." It will hook you.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band Really Rocking, July 22, 2006

By	Philip N. Levy (Miami, FL United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

That Tim Rogers and You Am I truly are the "World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band" is, of course, disputable. However, this latest entry to their catalog is strong evidence that they deserve the title. They deliver the rawest rock sound since the early days with "Hi-Fi Way". Make no mistake though, "Convicts" is not a rehash of those earlier hard rocking days. It avails itself of the great progression in Tim Rogers' ability to craft rock songs. There are twelve gems here. No throwaways. It is a great album. The second disc, the bonus live album, is disappointing. The lead vocals are supplied by members of other Australian rock bands. If the purpose is to demonstrate how superior Tim Rogers' versions of these songs are compared to these other vocalists, the disc definitely succeeds. Bottom line: buy "Convicts" for the great studio album.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Conviction!, June 2, 2007

By	R. Mix "Funkingroovin" (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

For a four-year span ending in 1987, the Replacements successfully blended feral punk abandon with poignant lyrics that detailed the perpetually out-of-sync life of a misfit. Sydney's You And I are similar; able to construct literate-but-rough-edged three-minute epics that spike adrenaline levels as they tug at your heart strings.

The rousing "Gunslingers" is probably best; its Hammond B3 organ providing a launchpad for some truly joyful guitar noise. But there really isn't a weak song in the bunch: "Thuggery", "The Sweet Life", "Constance George" and the Damned-ish "Thank God I've Hit the Bottom" are all just waiting to corrupt your volume control's sense of decency.

In a world as networked and wired as ours, it's hard to believe a band as good as You Am I could remain under radar for so long. 'Convicts' is so good I assumed it was a compilation by a five-year old band finally getting their break in America. But it turns out that this is just You And I's most-recent work, and that they've been at it since the mid-nineties.

While 'Convicts' puts you at risk for a speeding ticket, that doesn't mean you should take a pass on its beautiful noise. That's why we have radar detectors, isn't it?