Customer Reviews

Don't Make Things

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.)

This San Francisco band has been causing a stir in the underground for years. They released a few EPs and have appeared on a few compilations. They have played many shows in the past two years. There has been some early success in England. We have been waiting all along for a real full-length album, and now we have it. It's starts out with some of the best songs of the past like "We Are The Doctor" and "No Style." They display their love of British music from fifteen years ago. The Pleased are a Californian band, so there is more space and psychedelic longings. On some of the new songs like "One Horse" and "Another Disaster" they expand their sound and surprise and thrill the listener. There is a tragic romantic theme throughout most of the record. Melancholy is a positive feeling. The Pleased are an important new band to check out.

These guys rock, plain and simple. Highly addictive sounds and well written lyrics make this debut a must-listen for any fan of rock, especially new rock. Keep yer eyes out for these guys.

This is one of the most solid CD's in years. All of the reviews listed here hit the nail on the head about the CD. However, it is their live performance that is even more astounding. We saw them opening for the P-Furs and the Alarm. I went to the concert as a rabid Alarm fan and left blown away by the Pleased. The textures of their sound and sure-of-themselves-but-not-cocky stage presence are awesome. If they come to your town, go see them!

The Pleased are great....they put on a great show opening for the Psychedelic Furs in Omaha (3/26/04). After the show, we had no problem having a conversation with the guys - they were very friendly and down to earth...I hope to see them around for many years. Buy this album, you won't regret it!

I saw this band open for the Psychedelic Furs in Park City, Utah.

I usually hate opening acts, and it's usually justified.

After the show was over and the Furs left the stage, I went straight to the T-shirt stand. I didn't buy a shirt as originally planned; I bought this album. This group is just plain damned good. The best way to describe their sound would be early U2 meets Coldplay. I don't know what else to say except BUY THIS ALBUM. I'm picky and pretentious when it comes to my music, and I won't fork over bucks for something unless I'm duly impressed. These guys impressed me, and that's no small feat.