Customer Reviews

Good Will Out

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Okay, so I'd give this album 5 stars if it were consistently good. What I mean is, there are songs on here that are simply amazing: grand anthems, sweeping choruses, majestic orchestrations, etc. Yeah, it sounds over the top, but it is & it's done in a good way- as only the British know how. Like I mentioned earlier, the only problem is that not every track follows this formula; not every track is up to par. Some songs are rather straight-forward & bland. But the good songs are SO GOOD.

Songs like "Retread," "Come Back To What You Know," "Higher Sights," "My Weakness Is None Of Your Business," "Fireworks," & "That's All Changed Forever" use strings & orchestrations to build to an emotional climax. These songs are tremendously moving- it's why I love music so much!

"All You Good Good People" is one of their better known songs that uses a full orchestra- horns & strings- in more of a heavy setting. It's a great introduction that will lift you off your feet- check out the intense cresendo & how it lifts you up & drops you into a rousing interlude.

"The Good Will Out" is probably the best song on here. It's a classic album closer: linked-arms-sing-a-long. The horns are great too- it's a poignant song without dipping too much into balladry.

The rest of the songs- like "Blind," "I Want The World," & "The Last Gas"- are okay at best, but don't live up to the excellency of the aforementioned tracks. I wouldn't miss them if they were off the album- at least you'd have a stellar EP. (Well, it'd be longer than an EP.) But that's typical of Embrace- many of their albums feature incredible individual songs but a handful of lackluster ones. However, at any rate, this album (their first) features the most songs where they're at the top of their game. They seemed to be on to something. Too bad they never caught on in the States, but at least we had the good fortune to have this album released (their only Stateside release).

If you like this then you should also check out the import for Fireworks- their greatest hits. That way you can bypass the lackluster [stuff] in their other 2 albums. But there are definitely "non-hits" on The Good Will Out that are worth a listen. And for that reason, check out this album.

One of the best unknown albums of the 90's. "All You Good People" is a great 'catchy' anthem that would attract anyones ears. Embrace specialize in slow ballads, and good ones at that. There are easily five classic ballads on this album. The electric rocker "I Want The World" makes you want to pick up a guitar even if you don't play one. Great rock'n'roll in that piece. I recommend this album for anyone who is sick and tired of all the 'mainstream radio' music and wants to listen to music to sing along to. Thanks.

Very Solid cd. I highly recommend that you check out the songs "My weakness is none of your business" and "That's All Changed Forever".

Living in the states, I hadn't heard of Embrace until their album "Out of Nothing" came out, and heard the wonderful song "Ashes". I bought that album and did some research and realized that they had been around a while and had other albums. From critical reviews, this debut is/was considered their best work to date, so I got this album immediately. In comparison to "Out of Nothing", (the only other album I have heard so far) I think that "The Good Will Out" is better. And as a stand alone record, this is a pretty darn good Brit-pop album! Yeah, their sound on this album is definitely comparable to Oasis and The Stone Roses, but still, when something is good, it's good, period. At least it means they have good taste in musical influences! This album has a good balance of beautiful ballads and heavier, straight up rock'n'roll tunes. Songs like "Come Back to What You Know", "My Weakness is None of Your Business", and "Retread" are my favorite slower, emotion-felt songs. And heavier songs like "One Big Family", "You Gotta Say Yes", and "I Want the World" are great rock anthems to sing along to. Which brings to the real strength in this album. The ability for Embrace to write real catchy songs with beautiful, soaring melodies. Whether its slow, melodic tunes or foot stompin' rock'n'roll, one can't help but to sing along to most of these songs. But before I get too carried away, this album isn't perfect. Some of the catchy tunes, mainly the slower ballads, are put together beautifully, but a few of them sound too similar. The vocals in some songs sound eerily the same, it just sounds like the lyrics were changed! Also, some the slower tunes are just, I don't know..boring, I guess you could say. Again, not saying they are bad tunes, but they just don't go anywhere. And that is what is keeping me from giving this one 5 stars is that they are some weaker songs on here. In my opinion, songs like "That's All Changed Forever", "Last Gas", and even the title track "The Good Will Out" aren't that great. Again, not bad by any means, but just average. As far as comparisons to other bands go, the biggest similarities seem to be Oasis and The Stone Roses, mainly on the heavier songs. In fact, on songs like "One Big Family" , "I Want the World', and "You Gotta Say Yes", the lead vocalist seems to be doing his best Ian Brown impersonation, while the musical style sounds much like Oasis. There is also a bit of Coldplay in there on some of the slower stuff as well. All in all, this is a good, solid Brit-pop album from a relative unknown band, well at least in the US. With bands like Coldplay, Keane, Muse, and Snow Patrol getting more popular over here in the states, I hope that Embrace will soon get the attention they deserve.

The Good Will Out is an amazing album. I think it puts Embrace on the top of the British music scene as a powerful song writing force that has come of age. Although, sadly, their music will probably not hit the US charts as it has the UK charts (which means no tour of the US in the near future) due to the poliferation of wack pop groups and image driven gimp bands. The album is based around the center piece, "All you good good people", which is was got me interested. Immediately after listening to the album a few times other sadder more plaintive songs jumped out like, "That's all Changed Forever" and "Fireworks", two calming yet uplifting ballads. If you are a fan of the Verve and need something to fill the void of their breakup, then listen to "The Good Will Out". It is an album that will uplift you during your darkest, drunkest times.

this album has blown me away. Before listening i had heard "All You Good Good People" and "Come Back To What You Know". I didn't expect anything as good as the singles but i got better. "My Weakness..." is an excellent mix of an emotional ballad and an epic football chant. "One Big Family" is a noisy shout-a-thon. "Retread" for me was a stand out track, especially the breath taking outro. "Fireworks" is an excellent sentimental ballad. "That's All Changed Forever" is a quiet epic, getting bigger and bigger throughout and "The Good Will Out" is a great end to an amazing album, especially with the "Hey Jude" style sing-a-long outro. This is an album for getting up in the morning, singing along to in the car, playing on the pub jukebox and sending you to sleep. The soundtrack for your life.

Picture this... a baseball game between oasis and the verve and radiohead is umpiring. That's embrace. I love his voice. The songs took me a while to get into but now I can't live without them! The production is kinda messy. The songs sound very busy and noisy, which is cool for a while, but my ears get tired out more quickly as a result. I would definately recomend this record to radiohead and oasis fans.

I really like the verve, and oasis. And so do Embrace. That's OK, because good taste embodies good music, and that's what THE GOOD WILL OUT is. Real emotions encased in moving songs. The slower songs are best, Retread, all you good good people, come back to what you know are standouts. Its a cd to throw into your car and sing along to, and everyone needs that.

Once you get past the somewhat goofy name of this band (sounds like they should be touring with Barry Manilow or something), their songs are wonderfully hummable and catchy. The anthems and ballads are far superior to the harder songs, which are the weakest part of the CD (and keep me from giving it five stars). Standout tunes include "Come Back to What You Know", "Fireworks", "Retread" and "All You Good, Good People". The aforementioned songs are some of the best pop creations I've ever listened to.

I highly recommend Embrace, and look forward to their next effort. Just don't try so hard to rock out on the faster stuff, OK guys?

Well, I have to say this is one of the best records I've ever heard, evry song is superb. "Come Back to What You Know", "All You Good Good People", "Fireworks" they're all superb. However my favourite has to be "That's All Changed Forever" which is the most beautiful, heart-breaking song I've ever heard. Buy this album.