Customer Reviews

Don't Give Me Names

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

 

 

Where do I even begin? I've been playing guitar and singing in a rock/metal band here in New Zealand for 3 years now, so what I'm saying isn't just the usual hype that u guys may be used to, it's the true blue critical evaluation of an "expert" (kind of). This band has everything going for them: they are GREAT rock song writers, they are all extremely talented at their respective insruments and they are a great, really tight band (I can't wait to see them live). They also really do have the energy and image to succeed big time (partially due to the fact that Sandra, their lead singer, is probably the most stunningly beautiful (and talented) frontwoman to grace the rock scene for many years). A very good German friend of mine brought this album to New Zealand on a visit and I had the chance to listen to it over and over (which I did) and I was blown away. The album is amazingly consistent and the musical vision of the four Apes never once falters. If you are a fan of rock, metal, punk or alternative music you will love this album. If any of the band reads this then please COME TO NEW ZEALAND!

I have nine Guano Apes CD's. Certainly the "Planet Of The Apes" has the cream of the crop, which is where I would point ANY first time buyer of the apes. BUT if you already know & like the apes, BUY "Don't Give Me Names", simple as that. There are MANY tunes on it that appear on their best hits, so SOMEBODY liked them. I have an unusually wide spectrum of musical interest. I LOVE "Quality" wherever it may be found. My collection also includes, Tapping The Vein, Die Happy & Lacuna Coil. I even like The Lords Of Acid once in awhile. As of late, Whenever I feel the need for un-leashed raw female power & expression, I reach for "Planet Of The Apes", it Frosts My Cake. Expand to other Guano Apes CDs Like DONT GIVE ME NAMES, AFTER you've experienced them. Breathe in the aroma, kick the turds around awhile, get to know Land Of The Apes, FIRST. However there are GOOD tunes here not found on their best hits CD.

I first heard Guano Apes back in 1999. I was listening to knaclive.com's radio stream and Open Your Eyes came on and I was blown away. I went out and got the album that same day. I've been hooked ever since. As soon as I heard they had a new album out I ordered it and I still listen to it alot now. Overall it's great. I thinkit's better produced than thier first one and is just more well written. Some of the songs on the first one seemed like they were trying too hard to write big songs with lots of parts but on this album they sort of scaled that down. It's still got the variety of the first album and the only band I can think of to compare them too in that regard is Faith No More. Every song is very different but they all fit together well. The songs are the kind that stick in your head for days. Some fo the best ones are No Speech, Big In Japan, Living a Lie and my favortie is probably Money and Milk. I'd say if you like the first one you'll like this one even more and the only reason I didn't give it that 5'th star is because thier 3'rd album is actuayl alot better than this so that one gets 5 stars.

If you are a truly Guano Apes fan, you will love this album, Sandra still sings amazing, although they are not a hard punk-rock band, as we know them, on this album, they still know how too make a good album. Maybe if you expected something that might would sound like the last album, you could be dissapointed, but on the other side, if you are more open, you would simply love this more quiet album, songs like "Living in a lie", "Anne Claire" and "money & milk" is the most lovely songs on the album, but also "No Speech", "Big in Japan", and "Innocent greed" still says that the Guano Apes we know from "Proud like a god" is back, still going strong, this album is a certain number 1, for the Guano Apes fans.

I am a big Guano Apes fan. When this CD came out I had to get it. But, I notice right away that this CD is more poppy then there first one. This CD does have some cool multimedia stuff on it though. Only real good tracks are "Big Japan" there first single, "Dodel Up", "No Speech", and "Innocent greed".

As much as Proud Like a God was stimulating, Don't Give Me Names is boooring. I don't know what happened, but I believe this is just a one time thing. After all, Walking on Thin Line, the fallow-up to this record, is much better. So what makes this album so boring ? Fallow me, I will tell you about it, and much more... or not...

The thing is, there's nothing of high quality. The better songs are ordinary at best. The best one is, without a doubt, Lords Of The Boards, the first song on the album. After that, well, there's nothing much to keep interest for more than a minute. Compared to the first album, this one is very slow. And turning up the volume doesn't work either, it still a pain to listen to. There's nothing obviously wrong with the songs. I guess there's just something special missing, and that's why it's not a blast to listen to.

Proud Like a God, Don't Give me Names and Walking on Thin Line. The first one is a must, the second one you must avoid, the third one is alright if you're a fan. Any question ? I didn't think so.