Customer Reviews

February Son

5 star:		(78)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

What a novel idea. Make something viable to those who like music loud, hard and fast (not thrashy) but something positive in the lyrics. Can't be done via a non-christian\secular band you say: then pick up this bit of notes, chords, and lyrics. To put it simply, this band knows how to step it up a notch. This Cd has an edgy pop feel to it. Good hooks, great arrangements and mixing. Shrinking Blob, Where Were You Then, Lost Cause, Stupid, and especially You'll Find Out are very much in your face anthemic type rock songs. They don't come at you with guns blazing, but rather change tempo, allow you to catch your breath and then get pushed back into the grove where you roller coaster your way to the next track. There is also the radio friendly Why I'm Here (a great song even after a hundred listens) and How Could I?. Wonderful Cure cover, Boys Don't Cry. It doesn't move far from the original but does add an nice hard rock sound as opposed to a poppy goth sound. What sets this band apart are the lyrics. You'll Find Out, with lyrics aluding to addiction of some sort, that you can pull yourself out of, Down When I'm Loaded "It's the sound of super sad. It's the kinds shi* that makes me angry. your bad, your wasting your time on irresponsibility", and Never Again "cause I've been there. never again, never again will I allow myself to drown".

I read the editorial review by Jason Joseph and I couldn't disagree with him more. True the first I heard of Oleander was that they were the "new Nirvana" and they do bring across a feeling in thier lyrics that demands thought and not just head banging or knocking around the mosh pit. They are more commercially viable than Alice in Chains but the "Stone Temple Pilots element" is what makes the music worth the listen. This is a good band that carries the grunge name and not some of the new dispose all garbage we are getting from Saliva or every new Korn wannabe.

Mind you, this is your basic power chord music but do yourself a favor and trade your hard earned cash for this CD. You'll be banging the steering wheel as you drive through traffic or across the country side. This is a definite 5 star cd for the genre it fits into as well as for production value and content.

This is one of the best music purchases I have made since the mid 90s. Upon first hearing "I Walk Alone" on the radio, I actually though it was Candlebox. After hearing the entire album, I must say these guys are better than Candlebox, a little more upbeat and poppier while still retaining that hard edge. Every song is a gem, from the opening cruncher "You'll Find Out" through the emotional closer "Never Again". Along the way you'll enjoy many instant classics such as the current hit "Stupid", the quiet verses to raging storm chorus of "Why I'm Here" (which reminds me of Alice in Chain's more melodic side), the anthemic "Down When I'm Loaded" and the killer version of the Cure's classic "Boy's Don't Cry" (which, IMHO, out classes the original). If you like Candlebox or Collective Soul, you won't want to miss this album. Now if I can just find their indie debut Shrinking the Blob (from which can be found earlier versions of most the songs on February Son).

I got this CD for Christmas after hearing the songs I Walk Alone and Why I'm Here. I didn't know if I'd like the rest of the album. My fear was put to rest when I listened to the entire CD. All of their songs are great, especially their Cure cover for Boys Don't Cry and How Could I? If you like Our Lady Peace or Better Than Ezra, I encourage you to pick up February Son by Oleander!

The lead singer of Oleander, Thomas Flowers, seems to have a love-hate relationship with the words that he sings, rampaging through them one minute, kissing them the next, and at moments, managing to do both at the same time. Even so, this seeming contradiction is hardly at odds with itself as Flowers blends his singing with the music, creating one seamless harmony. As the CD progresses, Flowers teases the words, fights them, and plays with them all in turns, but even with all its incongruity, the vocal style he uses never seems to be out of place. My one wish: that he'd let his tongue caress the words more, because when he does, this man has an incredibly sexy voice. This becomes most apparent in "Why I'm Here," in which we find Flowers fighting off his personal demons. But it's definitely not the lyrics that make this song as beautiful as it is; the ethereal quality of the music makes his voice seem to float and brings forcefully to light the great talent Flowers' unique (and delicious) voice harbors, easily making this song one of the most beautiful on the CD. And I'd like to take this moment to add that I do not like Alice in Chains. I like this CD a great deal. Flowers sounds nothing like Scott Weiland, nor does his band sound anything like Stone Temple Pilots, both of them being groups that I am very familiar with. The reviewer who "officially" reviewed February Son, I believe, was smoking crack.

I bought the cd today...and I havent cut it off since I first started listening to it...the music is a good mix between hard rock and alternative...the singer tops the bands sound with a good edge, the rythym and lead guitars are awesome and the drums and bass keep up a great beat, and the lyrics blow me away. I'm really glad i bought the c.d., and I'm glad I was lucky enough to hear one song one time and buy this cd...(i heard why i'm here on the internet radio and i loved it I highly reccomend buying this cd to anyone and everyone to buy, its deffinately going to be around for a while.

For ages I would hear this song on the radio, I would never catch who it was by though. After hearing it about 4 times I found out about 2 months later that it was by a band called Oleander. The song of course being "why I'm here". I found the CD at my local record store and I was instantly impressed by them. There isn't a bad song on the CD. I really like the singers voice too. Just about every song is heavy which you don't get sick of at all, How could I? The only slow song on the CD is a masterpiece and fits in perfectly with the other songs. The lyrics are very meaningful aswell. The best songs on this CD without naming every one would be: Stupid, Why I'm Here, I walk alone, How could I and the cover of the cure song "boys don't cry".

this is an excellent album. i bought the album because of "i walk alone" and found a collection of other songs to jam to. unbelieveable.

If this doesn't get at least a few votes for album of the year, I'd sure like to know why! Thomas Flowers and co. could not have burst onto the scene any better than this! "Why I'm Here" and "I Walk Alone" get all the air time (deservedly so), but there is not one bad track on this album! Easily the best album of the year. I can't wait until they release their next album!

It's funny because I did not hear about Oleander when this
CD came out. I must say every song from the gripping
"You'll Find Out" to the promising closing "Never Again",
is extremely idyllic and hard-rocking. I especially LOVE
the guitar solo near the end of "Where Were You Then", and
the soft and charming "How Could I". If you heard the song
"Down When I'm Loaded", this is the CD with that hit single
on it. Like in some of the other reviews, they describe it
as anthemic, and it really is. I LOVE the confronting loud
words on it. On a grade scale from 1-10, I give this an
11! Buy it today!!!

I only bought this CD after I saw this band in concert, even though I had heard and really enjoyed, "Why I'm Here" on the radio. Their show was very energetic and based on the songs I heard I knew that I'd be playing their CD for a long time. The prediciton came true as the CD quickly became one of my favorites. The CD is very easy to listen to as the group changes pace throughout the album, instead of letting every song sound the same. On the whole a very enjoyable record and highly reccomended.