Don't Make Things

The Pleased | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 4, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Big Wheel Recreation
• ASIN: B0000DI4SJ
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #119,111 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Phenomenal Debut, June 27, 2004

By 

"slwisey" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Don't Make Things (Audio CD)

The Pleased is one of the more important new bands to emerge in America (or UK, mixed origins here) in a long time. These guys are original, patient but in your face, introspective but exploding, tongue in cheek but sinister, and move from austere to richly layered to driving over the edge with incredible grace and purpose.

From the elixir-like opening guitar riff and synchopated vocals that swell into the opening chorus of "Already Gone," to the Beatle-like confidence of "We Are The Doctor," to the tidal wave build up of "No Style" (the vocal entry by Noah is unbelievable) -it becomes apparent in three songs that "Don't Make Things" is an oxymoron for the state of society's preoccupation with mass manufactured, marketed and digestible garbage. So The Pleased take a different route - they are not the least bit daunted by who they are or what they want to be - they choose to drive with their own wall of sound, riffs, and stories - leaving MTV/VH1 and AOR a little stale looking.

Yes, first impressions share a few echos (U2 Boy/October era, perhaps early Smiths and The Church among them), but unlike Oasis and Coldplay, The Pleased own "wall of sound" - NG's cutting vocal lines, Rich Good's synchopated and driving guitar riffs over Jo Newsome's textured keyboards and eno like piano, with bass and drums clearly driving the voyage - overrides ALL other sensibilities, leaving one conclusion: this is a fantastic, hopeful and mature debut from a band that has not lost it's innocence yet and has no intention of insulting it's listeners intelligence.

All the songs on "Don't Make Things" MAKE their own case - including the dreamy "Oh Canada" - but instead of ruining the suprise - BUY THIS ALBUM, The Pleased WILL make it with a little help. If you had lost faith in rock-n-roll then you may want to get back in the game.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beyond the garage, November 6, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Don't Make Things (Audio CD)

A lush and beautiful album. They've managed to do something no other band seems to be able to at the moment -- play good rock music that still has command of tone and color and sounds NEW.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Remember GOOD music?, August 1, 2004

By 

Bradbury Huxley "ravendaymon" (Grand Rapids MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Don't Make Things (Audio CD)

How long has it been since you bought a CD and listened to it all the way through just to hit play again? A little B.R.M.C. - a little Built to Spill with better vocals...
Very basic the first time you listen through to the end- increasingly better as you listen again. The first and fifth track tell it all-
Relaxed, basic- talented- complicated- hidden.
(I love it when I get a CD I don't feel like I wasted my money on.)