Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow [Explicit Lyrics]

Down | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 26, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Explicit Lyrics
• Label: Elektra / Wea
• ASIN: B0000634EV
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (102 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,804 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available
No Track Information Available
Media Type: CD
Artist: DOWN
Title: DOWN II
Street Release Date: 03/26/2002
Domestic
Genre: HEAVY METAL

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Early canidate for album of the year, April 13, 2002

By 

N. Durham "Big Evil" (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow (Audio CD)

Down's debut album, 1995's "NOLA" was a true masterpiece that took seven years to follow up. Now Phil Anselmo (Pantera), Pepper Keenan (C.O.C.), Jimmy Bower (C.O.C. and Eyehategod), Kirk Windstein (Crowbar), and Rex Brown (Pantera, replacing Todd Strange) return with Down's highly anticipated sophmore effort. First off, if you've listened to "NOLA" countless times like I have, you'll realize that the new album isn't as good but has a different vibe to it, and that is a rather good thing. I love "A Bustle in Your Hedgerow", everything about it is so great. As on the first album, Phil sounds a lot different, you hear that he can actually sing instead of the screaming he's famous for in Pantera, and Rex is one of the best bassists around today, and he shines on "Lies, I Don't Know What They Say But..." as does Jimmy Bower on "Lysergik Funeral Procession", and Pepper Keenan and Kirk Windstein are a great guitar combination. Phil's wife Stephanie Opal lends some her vocal talents to album closer "Landing on the Mountains of Meggido" which sends the album off with a bang (check out her band Southern Isolation which even has Phil on guitar). Other standout tracks include the southern fried "Stained Glass Cross", "Ghosts Along the Mississippi", "Learn From This Mistake", "Beautifully Depressed", and "The Seed". If you are a fan of Pantera or Corrosion of Conformity and have never had the chance to listen to the first Down album, I suggest picking up both Down albums for a fine real hard rock/heavy metal experience. I can't wait to see them on OzzFest, they're the only reason I'm going in the first place.

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars All About the Roots, June 2, 2003

By 

Nicholas Alla Koholick "anonymousnick2001" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow (Audio CD)

I'm a child of the South myself, so this has nostalgic value. These days, on humid summer evenings, it's nice to take this out to the front porch along with a six-pack and reminisce of the good old days as a kid in Texas. Nostalgia and childhood memories aside, Down II does evoke feelings of bayou culture, swamps, smoked salmon, po' boys, and a certain leafy substance whose name escapes me now. Light years beyond NOLA, in musicianship, diversity, and lyrics. Although NOLA had some amazing gems like "Rehab," and "Stone The Crow," Down II is the better album in my opinion. The whole album is a 70's-meets album. Imagine Deep Purple mixed with Skynyrd, and toss in some Sabbath-style sludge for good measure. That's the sound of the album. Even the title is a reference to Zeppelin's "Stairway To Heaven."

I'm done rambling. Down to business. After six long years, the who's-who of metal decided to get back together, bringing Rex on to replace the previous bassist. Phil, Pepper, Kirk, Jimmy Bower--the whole gang, and new producer Warren Riker, all headed into an old barn on Phil's vast property down in Louisiana called 'Nosferatu's Lair.' They spent 28 days with rented equipment, some weird 60's porn, and plenty o' the leaf, and cranked out this mofo.

"Lysergik Funeral Procession" kicks the album off with a 70's metal bang and a memorable riff to boot. The production is a lot less 'metal' this time, and more 'hard rock,' with plenty of other quirky musical effects, from a Hammond B3 to a 1930's steel guitar. Blues and country are further explored, evidenced by amazing songs like "Where I'm Going," and "Stained Glass Cross." A weird interlude and a drum n' bass jam, and well as a few folksy/bluesy jams are also tossed into the mix. Phil sings through 96% of this album, and it's great to hear his clean voice instead of the cat-in-blender thing we get with Superjoint Ritual and Pantera. Pepper tosses in a backup vocal here and there as well. The metallic numbers are still rockin'. "Dog Tired" and "New Orleans" are two good examples.

My fave cut would have to be "Ghosts Along The Mississippi," just for the title, and the song happens to be amazing as a plus, with a sick tempo change at the end and great solo. There's plenty on here to like, mind you. It's over an hour of tripped out music, and I love it. Most fans were let down, but I find it much superior to NOLA, and reckon folks should get this one first to partake in the glory before moving on to NOLA.

Shout it with me now: "Perfection of the Seed!"

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars All for riffs, riffs for all!, May 15, 2002

By 

Wheelchair Assassin (The Great Concavity) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Down II: A Bustle in Your Hedgerow (Audio CD)

Those familiar with Down's epic first album NOLA will undoubtedly find a great deal to like on its followup, "A Bustle in Your Hedgerow." The band's trademark sludgy Southern-style riffs and thick grooves are present on old-school metal tracks like the monstrous opener "Lysergik Funeral Procession," "New Orleans is a Dying Whore," and "Dog Tired." The abrasive grind of the guitars give the band immense potency on these hard-hitting tracks. However, beyond the expected nods to Black Sabbath, the band also shows some signs of branching out. "Stained Glass Cross" has a somewhat funky sound, and "Learn from this Mistake" and "Where I'm Going" slow things down almost to the point of a dirge, with some rather mournful vocals from Phil Anselmo. Phil is his usual excellent self, with vocals going all over the map from plaintive singing to rousing shouts, and the band behind is in fine form once again. I don't like this album quite as much as its legendary predecessor, but it's still more than worth your time and money.