Customer Reviews

The Fallout

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

In today's music world, new bands are like McDonald's hamburgers...millions served. To find great bands, you have to listen to dozens of CDs or get lucky when you take a flyer on buying a CD. How many times have you heard a song on the radio, bought the CD, and found out that the song on the radio was the ONLY good song? (Well, with web sites like Amazon, you can at least sample the music before you buy it.) After hearing "Wasting my Time" on the radio and sampling the remainder of the tracks here, I knew this was a solid CD.

Default is a new band with an incredibly crisp sound, crossing between hard rock and alternative. I've seen several comparisons to Creed (which I probably wouldn't disagree with) but I really think Default is more of the Candlebox ilk. Candlebox can light it up; so can Default.

The lyrical genius in this band by far is lead guitarist Jeremy James Hora, who can also make the strings sing. But, in the end, who cares if you have great lyrics and music if you don't have a worthy front man? Default has this problem solved many times over! Front man Dallas Smith has an incredible voice that runs the spectrum. I really haven't heard a front man in a long time with the quality of Smith's voice. As another reviewer pointed out, Chad Kroeger of Nickelback is another contributor to the band in several ways: discovery, backing vocals and lyrical collaboration. Of late, Kroeger and Nickelback have proven themselves a top notch band and his contributions here only provides further credence to Kroeger's musical talents.

To the music: most will be familiar with "Wasting my Time," the first radio-bound offering. Default does a great job on this CD of mixing up the hard-driving tracks with the ballads. "Sick and Tired" leads off the CD with an in-your-face hard edge while the very next track "Deny" brings the listener back more toward the ballad (a Creed/3 Doors Down-like sound). The remainder of the CD does justice to the fact that Default has given us something to look forward to: the next CD.

I gave this CD 4 stars as, in most cases, there is room for improvement. However, this is an incredibly outstanding freshman offering from an excellent new band.

I waited for the default cd for a month and a half before it came out. When it did arrive in stores on the 2nd I was able to swing around and get it the next day. This is a very good cd with four talented members putting it together. Their alternitive sound rolls very smooth and the vocals are a nice touch.
Though this cd isnt perfect. Though their sound and style is well preformed it is in no way unique. Not every song is a hit but most of them are tolerable at the least in this short (37 minute) cd. The songs that really drive this cd home are "sick and tired", "wasting my time", and "somewhere".
Default isnt the best new band around but they are solid. Expect good things in the future from this up and coming canadian band. Also if you do end up enjoying this cd as I did then I recommend picking up finger 11's second cd "the greyest of blue skies."

Let me first begin by saying that after 3+ years as a dedicated Amazon customer, this is the first album that made me want to write a review.

After watching the video for "Wasting My Time" on VH1, and being completely drawn by the song, I knew I had to give these guys a shot. Being disappointed by most of the new bands of 2001, I hoped Default would be different. They are different, and in the best possible way.

I think the best complement I can give to "The Fallout" is I feel great listening to it. Since purchasing it several weeks ago, I haven't been without it. The band members play so well together, no one steps on anyone else during any of the songs. Something that seems to be rare these days.

It's produced very well, and every song is worth listening to. My litmus test for a CD are tracks 3, 5, 9, and 11. If those hit, I know the CD will be a keeper. This one passed with flying colors! :)

Do yourself a favor and buy this CD instead of one from the multitude of spare bands out there. These guys are a welcome breath of fresh air.

Their first single "Wasting My Time" is totally addicting, its got a Creed-esque sound, but has a much more positive mood. It is probably the highlight of the entire album, along with "Slow Me Down" and "Live a Lie." The album as a whole is full of good songs, along with a couple I would call excellent, but there aren't any bad songs. The band is very talented and unlike many other bands in their genre they seem to have a much more optimistic view of life. Bands like Staind and Nickelback are wooing the masses with their self-loathing lyrics, so much so that bands like Default are greatly under-appreciated and underrated. Adding this cd to your collection is definitely a plus. Also I know Chad Kreoger of Nickelback produced the album and he guests a lot during some of the songs, but with or without him the album would be great. This is a recommended purchase for those sick of depressing, self-torturing lyrics; think of this band as similar to a Creed without spritual overtones and without a dark atmosphere. Finally I can untie the noose...

Default isn't necessarily without some talent or at least decent songwriting skills, but I think most advanced music fans will accept how replaceable this album is, especially in our time when "rock" and "nu-metal" bands pop out of the woodwork every thirty seconds. Most of the tracks on "The Fallout" are catchy the first time around but serve little if you want something thats going to stick in your memory or make you think.

The musicianship is nothing special, but the band manages to work together to get some decent, radio-friendly songwriting done. The guitarist comes up with some catchy riffs and disposable solos on a few songs but doesn't attempt much more than power chords most of the time, and the bassist and drummer don't really lay down a rhythm section that does any more than keep the beat. Singer Dallas Smith has a decent voice and an impressive holler when he wants to use it, combined with the typical relationship lyrics of newer rock bands. Unfortunately, none of this really rises above the cut thats been set by mediocre at best bands such as Creed and Nickelback, both of which I don't care one bit for, and Default probably won't land themselves much farther than the mark of one-hit wonders 3 Doors Down.

The major mistake that will really kill this album for a lot of listeners is that the three catchiest tunes happen to be the first three tracks on the album, two of which are the bands first singles. "Sick And Tired" rocks with a bit of an edge, "Deny" holds some good yells from singer Dallas Smith, and "Wasting My Time" has a friendly guitar riff and chorus, but most of the songs seem to just drag on with the album after that.

My cup of tea is more of bands such as Tool, KMFDM, Deftones, Stabbing Westward, and Nine Inch Nails, so perhaps I'm being biased, but I just couldn't find much to remember in "The Fallout" other than a few catchy riffs and choruses here and there. If you're a fan of whats "hot" on the radio and have to fit in, by all means, eat it up and follow the herd, if you're trying to have a diverse and expansive music collection, look into it just to say you tried it out, but if you're looking for a vast record with some solidarity and serious songwriting skills, look into Tool's "Lateralus", Stabbing Westwards "Darkest Days", or some Finger Eleven if you're looking to stick somewhat close to the Default mark but with more integrity.

I was first introduced to Default while spending too many hours listening to the radio at work. These guys are a band from Vancouver that received a lot of airplay for their song "Wasting My Time" that appears on their debut label CD "The Fallout." They have previously released an indie CD after winning a spot on the Vancouver Seeds 2000 CD with their song "Deny" that was re-recorded for their major label release.

The CD starts with "Sick and Tired" followed by "Deny" which gives the listener a nice intro to the hard rock style of Default. The tempo shifts with the 3rd track "Wasting My Time". This song is a nice "rock ballad" about waiting for a loved one which just sticks in your mind because of the emotion in lead singer Dallas Smith's voice. Other tracks I like are "One Late Night" and "Let You Down."

As an album in whole, I enjoy "The Fallout." The raw rock voice of Dallas Smith is a real gem. It's nice to note that Dallas had no singing experience before Default, other than singing in the car while no one was around. There's really no other band that I can compare Default's sound to, so I suggest you buy this album.

After hearing "Wasting my Time" I was remotely interested in Default. It wasn't a song that spiraled me into the nearest music store to buy the album, but it was far from boring. I loved Dallis Smiths voice and was only skeptical about buying the cd because I had a fear the other songs wouldn't even measure up to the single. Well, after many weeks and through multiple almost-purchases of THE FALLOUT, I finally broke down and bought it.

I was pleasantly surprised.

If you liked the single, but not quite enough to buy the cd, take comfort in knowing the cd is just as good and in many spots better. Give it a try, these guys are good and do have a unique sound.

This cd is spectacular. The lead singer has an incredible singing voice. I you like Nickelback, this band i very similar. They use the perfect blend of acoustic rock and guitar rock. Do yourself a favor and pick this cd up. It's great to relax and/or take frustrations out on.

Default is a killer new band hailing from the great white north...Theyve held number one spots on major candadian radio stations and have also won many competitions.They are really close sounding to the other canadian band Nickelback...perhaps this is due to their strong friendships...Right now Default has created a sound that will be consumed by the masses.It is the sound people are looking for...Its like a new more rock version of Creed...Check 'em out live while you can because they are gonna be selling out arenas shortly!

I bought this album after hearing "Wasting My Time" on the radio, only to find it's one of many outstanding tracks on this CD. Unfortunately, many bands turn out good first albums, but here's hoping Default is one that will be able to make a career of it. Lyrics as to the point as these matched with tunes that can really rock--or not when appropriate---show a very mature band, despite their youth. Produced by Nickelback's Chad Kroeger, the band is getting some experienced guidance. Bands like this show alternative music still has a future, and it's a future worth anticipating. Excellent album in every way.