The Fundamental Elements of Southtown

P.O.D.

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 24, 1999)
• Original Release Date: August 24, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Atlantic / Wea
• ASIN: B00000JZBU
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (271 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #56,048 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
With their aggro music, tattoos, piercings, and dreadlocks, P.O.D. (Payable on Death) might be conveniently filed next to Deftones or Rage Against the Machine. However, like U2, whose "Bullet the Blue Sky" they cover, P.O.D. are actually a Christian-based rock band, though not overtly religious enough to scare nonbelieving music fans away. This multiethnic quartet from the Southtown area of San Diego purveys an amalgam of modern music; elements of rap, metal, reggae, and hip-hop permeate this 16-track debut. P.O.D. doesn't bring much new to their hybrid style on The Fundamental Elements of Southtown, but what they do, they do well. From the gentle, reggae-tinged "Set Your Eyes to Zion" to the heavy grind of "Hollywood" and the rap-metal of "Lie Down," P.O.D.'s diverse and rockin' musical messages of positivism should make the foursome, already well known on the Christian rock circuit, a band to reckon with in secular circles. --Katherine Turman

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An overall excellent cd, March 14, 2000

By A Customer

The Fundamental Elements of Southtown is very diverse in its stylistic nature. It ranges from reggae, to aggro, to hip-hop hardcore. This is likely a direct result of the diversity of band influences, bad brains, santana, etc. Key to note is the cover of U2's "bullet the blue sky," which now has the intensity of a mac truck! Other songs to note are the aggr-groove of "southtown", the reggae tone of "set your eyes to zion," the smooth yet intense "tribal," and punch in the face "outkast."

Invariably, parallels will be made to other bands in the "hard music" market. No fear, P.O.D. definetly has their own sound, independent of any other act. They have been putting out tunes since 1992, even before RATM and KoRn came to the scene.

Stylistically and musically a great album. Howard Benson did a marvelous job producing the cd as well. Look for P.O.D. on the main stage at ozzfest and on tour with KoRn in Europe later in the year.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Do The Math, People, March 1, 2000

By	"fourgivn1" (Newport News, VA) - See all my reviews

I'd like to clear up something right now. This band keeps getting compared to bands like Korn, Limp Bizkit, and such. That's all fine and well. I realize that people are going to make comparisons. However, there's just one little thing that bugs me. People say "They're just copying Limp Bizkit" or "They are a takeoff of Korn." Well, P.O.D. has been making music for a year or two LONGER than Limp or Korn. Sort of hard to copy a band when that band came out AFTER you. :-)

38 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Sounds from the Southtown, March 21, 2000

By	Tb (The World, Universe) - See all my reviews

This is an awesome CD. I usually listen to punk and plain rock, but when I saw P.O.D on TV, and then heard them at youth group, I knew I had to have their CD. I wasn't disappointed. From "Hollywood" to "Outkast", I loved it all. it was hard hitting, but the instruments were being played with skill, they weren't just loud. The lyrics are great, too. They are hopeful and intelligent, not just pointless and angry. These guys came from a tough upbringing, but instead of using that as "fuel for the fire", they sing about how God got them through, and share the grace they've recieved. My favorite songs were "Southtown", "Bullet the Blue Sky" (that's a cool old U2 song. I want to hear the original), "Rock the Party (Off the Hook)", and "Tribal". I also thought the funky bass on "Hollywood" was cool. Forget Rage and Bizkit and KoRN. That stuff is bad for your mind AND soul. Pick up P.O.D, and you'll like it. Where do you stand in this battle cry, Tribal Soldier? Auf Wiedersehen.