Customer Reviews

End Is Forever

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Having been a fan of The Ataris since the summer of 1999 thanks to Fat Mike's comp, Short Music For Short People, I picked up "Blue Skies, Broken Hearts...Next 12 Exits." This cd went on my list as "one of those records that has a few songs" but never did I truly appreciate it. Flash to October 2000. I heard "Summer Winds Was Always Our Song" on the new Kung Fu Sampler, and I knew I was going to get it...even if I wasn't a big Ataris fan. Then ... I downloaded "Song 13", which I really didn't see as a great song then. So here I am in the local record store and seeing it and buying it. I have extemely decent expectations for it. Maybe a mediocre attempt, or something a little better than "Blue Skies...", but little was I prepared for such a great record.

Hearing of the re-recordings of "Song For A Mix Tape" and "How I Spent My Summer Vaction", luckily both being two of my most treasured Ataris songs, I knew this album had a chance. I then popped in the cd and it started off strong, with "Giving Up On Love", an anthem for anyone who's ever lost a person they've loved, and continuing like that all the way through, only slowing down for "Fast Times at Drop-Out High." Needless to say, this is a record any kid who lives in Nowheresville, USA, had huge relationship problems, or have ever had hopes of getting away from everything just to be happy for a few minutes will appreciate. My personal favorites are "Giving Up On Love," "Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start,", "If You Really Want To Hear About It...", "Song For A Mix Tape", "How I Spent My Summer Vacation", both of which i love even more than their originals, "Teenage Riot" and "Song 13." Amazing how things end up eh? This album has to go on your "Must Buy" list today.

this is by far one of the most touching and beautifully sounding cds of all time. the ataris have grown as a band over the years and with their new album, "end is forever" they have reached a new level in their music. every song on this cd is wonderfully written and kris roe's emotion really comes through regarding his past relationship. each songs on the album seems to flow in and out of one another which not only makes "end is forever" a cd with a few great tracks but an excellent album all around.

if you have ever been in a relationship or really fallen in love then this cd is for you. it goes through the ups and downs of relationships and for those of us who have had our hearts broken, it gives us hope to move on.

i listen to a great deal of music but this cd is by far one of the most touching albums ive ever heard. this cd is great from start to finish and when it ends you just have to listen to it again. if your a punk/rock/pop/emo/whatever fan or just want a great new cd to add to your collection then the ataris, "end is forever" should be it.

When I first heard "Anywhere But Here" by the Ataris, I thought it was a Green Day-ripoff, by the song structure and vocals, but then I heard "Look Forward To Failure", and then I became an Ataris fan, and I started to appreciate Anywhere But Here as an album on its own, as well. Then I went ahead and bought Blues Skies, Broken Hearts...Next 12 Exits, and the Ataris became one of my favorite bands... I wasn't TOO thrilled with Let It Burn, but it was a nice addition to my collection, and the acoustic San Dimas was truly amazing.

...Which brings us to End is Forever.

This is a testament to one of the greatest progressions of any indie band, as most bands go downhill as the years go by (see: Blink 182), while this band moves steadily uphill. It opens with an aggressive number, "Giving Up On Love", and closes with a very intimate acoustic number, "Hello & Goodbye"... in between this is one of the catchiest yet heartfelt albums in recent memory. The Kevin Smith's "Clerks" references in tracks 4 and 5 are pure genius, too!

With this album, the band should have a big opening in the road to success in the music industry, and should be ready for the big-time labels once they get a listen to this amazing piece of work.

I've been listening to the Atari's for about a year now, at first they did not impress me. To really enjoy the music you should pay attention to the lyrics and what they mean, I'm sure you can relate them to your own life in someway. This album is no different. They continue to capture my attention and satisfy my gnawing musical hunger. Give it a listen if you're not a fan, if you are then definitely pick this one up. It's worth it.

...this has been my favorite cd for almost 2 years now... i really want to tell everybody out there that if you're a hopeless romantic who has gotten your heart broken and fallen in and out of love many times, and can really get close to people, you need to own this cd

every song on this album, even though its kris roe's amazing lyrics, i feel like is about me in some way...that ive lived this experience kris beautifully decribes

my favorite track on this album by far is "summer wind was always our song" which is a break up song, but so much more because you can truly feel the emotion in the lyrics, singing and music and its this way on every song on the album...there is some sort of emotion behind it that is expressed absolutely perfectly and all the components blend together so well...after some tough times in my life i can honestly say that this song saved my life, being able to relate to someone who at one time was feeling exactly the same i was at the time...just couldnt make me feel any better

the entire album just makes me ...either smile or cry...

i love the ataris and the more punk "anywhere but here" and "blue skies..." albums but i just think that emotion has never been expressed better than "end is forever"

so in closing i just want to tell every hopeless romantic out there to get a hold of this cd and really listen to it...you might not like it at first but i ASSURE you it will grow on you eventually ...i love punk music, but dont expect something thats really punk, its not going to make you want to mosh right now, just listen to it and appreciate...and just get the album NOW...

Even if this album sucked, I would still have to give it some credit for including a sound byte from a Kevin Smith movie. However, End Is Forever doesn't completely suck. It's just somewhat unnverving. Since their debut, the Ataris had built a reputation as a great pop-punk band that could deal with emotions but not sound like they were about to start crying. That ends with this album. The tempos drop, the lyrics get sadder, and the overall tone turns from emotional fun to emo-drippy. On the bright side, The Ataris attempt some new stuff here, which is never a bad thing. "Song For A Mix Tape" includes a pedal steel guitar solo, and several tracks employ the use of an organ. Unfortunately, not all experiments work. When the band attempts to get punk on "Teenage Riot," it comes out sounding corny and insincere. I'm sorry, but after hearing Kris Roe sing about nothing but girls for years, I can't accept him as a riot-inducing cop hater. "Song #13" manages to inject a bit of hardcore into the Ataris sound, but it isn't enough to save this album from succumbing to the depths of the emo trend. The Ataris had always managed to avoid becoming emo, but it looks like all good things must come to an End Is Forever.

This one of the best albums (in my opinion) to come out of the falling pop/punk scene. It is because of this album i just got hooked on the*ataris. Though it has its emo side to it, it will still give you your daily dose of punk rock.

Though not surpassing the best ataris album, blue skies..., it would rank #2. It has some of it's dark songs ("road signs and rock songs"; "song #13", and "teenage riot") and the songs to pick you up out of a pit ("up, up, down, down,...", "giving up on love" if you just dumped, and "if you really want to hear about it" even though that song is semi-cheesy sounding). the worst song on the album would have to be "if you really want to hear about it" only because it is the most poppy song on the cd, but hey! you may like it. so...if you are into music filled with emotion, feeling, and just energy, go out and pick up this album. you will not be disappointed.

Okay, I'll admit that this album contains some of the whiny, over-"emo" lyrics that cross the line into unbearable and vomit-inducing in their next album, "So Long, Astoria." HOWEVER, musically this is The Ataris' best album by far. They reach their creative peak with this one, as the album is packed with several great songs that have catchy melodies but amazing guitar (for a punk band) that keeps the album from having the 4-chord pop-punk feel of most of the bands that molest the radio today. The album just FEELS great, and moves flawlessly from start to finish, a masterpiece of emotionally-charged yet perfectly refined and intricately layered punk rock.

This was a really great ataris cd, maybe not as good as BLue skies... but still really good. it sounds a little more emo-ish than their other cds. My favorite song on here is probably "Teenage riot", its really catchy and the bass is amazing. Some of the best songs on here are "summer wind was always our song", "IOU one galaxy", "up up down down left right..." But if you are just getting into the ataris, get anywhere but here, or blue skies...

well, i'm going to be seeing this band w/ fsf (the real reason i'm going to the concert)- so, i figured i should probably make an effort to pick up some of their music. i was reccommended 'blue skies, lonely hearts...' but this was what they had. upon my first listen, all i can say is that it is about the most cliched emo record i've ever heard. lets see. frontman with no vocal talent: check. lyrics i could write in my sleep: check. 3 chords: check.
this record is laughable. there are a few singable songs- but it's nothing to brag about. the first single off of 'astoria' ("in this diary") already shows more promise than this entire album. a very dissapointing purchase indeed.