Customer Reviews

Devils & Angels

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I came to this album with no preconceived notions; my teenaged son is a big fan of their previous album and asked me to preorder this for him from their website. He has taste similar to my own, so when he suggested that I listen to it (with, in retrospect, a strange grin on his face) I was more than happy to comply.

I was totally unprepared for how impressed I would be. This album is absolutely tremendous. There are so many good things to say about the band as a whole and the album in particular that it's hard to know where to start. They're more than just good musicians - they're good musicians who've obviously worked hard at creating a unified sound. Rather than being a collection of soloists they truly play together. Lead guitarist Ricky Sans, for example, is clearly a talented player but he never beats you over the head with solos designed to highlight his skill. His work supports and adds highlights to well designed arrangements. Vocalist/pianist Chris Chron is a great singer, and his piano playing runs the gamut from elegant lead work to an energetic channeling of the late Nicky Hopkins.

None of that counts for much without good material. Well, they've got good material. In fact, they've got GREAT material. The temptation is to say that the songwriting is the star of the album, but that denigrates the musicianship. All of the original songs (cowritten by Chron and Sans and arranged by the whole band) have wonderful melodies that you'll be humming for days, and mature well thought out lyrics. For one example, the opening lines of "Drive Away" are "I bet you want to know who's coming/Coming to the party tonight/My friends are drinking satisfaction/I've been mixing tonic and spite."

I won't pretend that I can give you a list of the best songs on the album, since that list changes day by day. (There hasn't been a single day since the album came in the mail when I haven't heard at least a few of these songs.) The best I can do is this: my favorites today are "Built To Last," "For A Lifetime," "Drive Away" and "Stand Up." When it came time to chose the songs I'd add to my (moderately small) iPod, I chose every song on the CD, something I've never done before!

One word of caution: Warner Brothers Records has done a horrible job of promoting or even distributing this album. I check for it in stores all the time, and have yet to find it, including in stores that carry the band's first album from a much smaller label. Since I clearly hope that you'll buy this album, let me suggest that you order it right here, right now. This is a "Can't Lose" purchase.

After hearing Melee's previous album, Everyday Behavior, I was really excited to hear what Devils & Angels would sound like. I was anticipating a great album, and I wasn't disappointed. These guys are true artists. Their songwriting is virtually flawless. There's songs to dance to & there's songs to chill to, but every song is just as amazing as the next.

Favorite Songs: Built to Last, She's Gonna Find Me Here, Can't Hold On, Love Carries On

Get this album; you'll be thrilled that you did!

The Good

"Built to Last" starts off the album strong with a singer-songwriter feel to it. The piano lines blend well with the rich vocal melodies. There's even just enough guitar thrown in to keep it from entering wuss-ville. "Rhythm of Rain" is accented by a great acoustic strumming pattern and catchy chorus section. Driving rhythms, chugga-chugga riffage, and subtle piano tear down the walls on "Frequently Baby (She's a Teenage Maniac)." The track has so much bounce, you can dance to it.

Get ready to grab your Kleenex on the emotionally jarring, piano-based ballad "Can't Hold On." Soft strings are always a good method to really jerk those sorrowful emotions. The songs' ending is simply powerful. "Imitation" has a Jackson Browne-ish quality to it, with its commanding piano and crafty songwriting. It's a lot more forceful than anything Jackson's put out though. "She's Gonna Find Me Here" is a strict piano/vocal ballad with an 80s arena rock guitar run added for good measure.

The Bad

Zip!

The Verdict

Sign me up for the Melee bandwagon! Devils & Angels is a display of tremendous musicianship on an album that is sadly flying below the radar.

The CD worked fine. No scratches or anything but the case was broken. Probably because it was shipped in an envelope instead of a box. I don't want something to be broken as soon as I get it

EXCELLENT BAND WHO I LEARNED OF AT A HOLLISTER STORE IN MICHIGAN. BOUGHT THE CD AND ONCE AGAIN GREAT LISTENTING CD. LYRICS AND VOCALS SUPERB. ANOTHER GREAT FIND FROM HOLLISTER STORES THAT PLAY THESE GREAT UNKNOWNS. LOVE THIS CD ALOT!!!!

Devils & Angels

BUILT TO LAST the pearl of this album, DEVILS & ANGELS, is a great pop song. After all the stack of pessimist and apathetic 90s and 00s indi music is good to find some people like these young guys, Chris Cron & Co: MELEE, doing this powerful and stylish, even romantic, why not! song. Maybe, sure! they have a long way to do and learn, improving their live performance but the creation is here. Don't stop men, keep going ! Devils & Angels is not progressive rock, no deep messages, no political claims but is strengthful, optimist and fun, it's good power pop for High School, for parties, at home or for a fourty man like me who likes driving the car listen to bright music. Other outstanding songs are Rhythm Of Rain, For A Lifetime, Drive Away, Imitation or You Got.

Don't hesitate, buy it! As well it's very cheap.

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Built to last, la joya de DEVILS & ANGELS es una genial canción pop.Después de todo el montón de música pesimista y apática de los noventa y los dosmil es estupendo encontrar unos tios como estos chavales, Chris Cron y compañía haciendo esta potente, elegante y hasta romántica canción. Seguro que tienen un largo camino por recorrer y aprender, sobre todo a mejorar su directo, pero la creación está aquí.

Seguíd ahí tios. DEVILS AND ANGELS no es rock progresivo, no aporta mensajes trascendentales, no tiene reivindicaciones políticas, pero es poderoso, optimista y entretenido. Vale para el instituto, para cualquier fiesta, para casa o para alguien de cuarenta tacos que como yo le gusta conducir el coche escuchando música brillante.

Otras canciones a destacar son:Rhythm Of Rain, For A Lifetime, Drive Away, Imitation or You Got.

No lo dudes, cómpralo, por poco más de 2 pavos...

Window's Media Player classifies Melee's Devils & Angels as alternative. I couldn't agree more; it's an alternative to the mindless drivel that is being released at record speeds these days. Devils & Angels is pop with out being bubblegum. They are the Jonas Brothers for adults.

They have a sound that is reminiscent of bands from the 80's, 90's and today. They sound familiar while maintaining their uniqueness. You constantly ask yourself who they remind you of but can never quite put your finger on it. They remind me of the bands I loved when I was younger, yet my teenage sons hear shades of bands from today. They are part Toto, part Asia, part Bad English, part Boys Like Girls, Part Plain White T's and all Melee. Finally, a band able to span the generation gap.

Although the word melee is defined as a disorganized and confused crowd, there is nothing disorganized about this talented group of young men. With the exception of their cover of Hall & Oates' You Make My Dreams, every song is an original written by band members Chris Cron and Ricky Sans and arranged by all four band members. The lyrics aren't preachy but they are a refreshing break from the suggestive, harsh and repetitive lyrics of most pop songs released lately. I enjoyed every song on the album but must admit my favorites are Frequently Baby (She's a Teenage Maniac) and You Got. And while I normally cannot stand remakes of favorite songs from the past, I have to say they did a remarkable job on You Make My Dreams.

If you grew up in the 80's and 90's you owe it to yourself to pick up this cd. If you are tired of the sexually suggestive, meaningless, repetitive drivel found in most pop songs today, you owe it to yourself to pick up this cd. If you are tired of the screeching and yelling of bands that really can't carry a tune and like a good refreshing toe tapping, head bobbing, sing along, feel good pop song, you owe it to yourself to pick up this cd. You owe it to yourself to pick up this cd period.

All the best elements of Five for Fighting, Keane and Jacks Manequin meet to form Melee. Melee is able to have a piano take solos unlike most bands today. The bonus cover of You Make My Dreams Come True rivals the original. It's fun and reintroduces a classic 80's without going the way of punking it up. The lead song Built To Last is what you want to hear someone say to you. "Frequently Baby" makes you want to dance. This is a great CD to listen to at work and in the car during those stressful moments. Highly recommend to those looking for truly talented musicians.

I really liked this album! The music reminds me a little bit of Coldplay and a little bit of Ben Folds Five. The songs are thoughtful and well-sung. It is good music to sing along with.

I LOVED THE CD. Lots of great songs.I would suggest to most of my friends