Customer Reviews

Hammer & Tongs

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

 

 

If you like the sound of U2, come one the best bands, that were around. Every song, has really emotion to it. You can feel the story in every song. Great rockin sound. Later on became Angelfish, then went others things.

Like a lot of folks, I got into Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie through Shirley Manson. When I found the self-titled album in a cut-out bin at a local record store a few years back I wasn't sure what to expect and I was plesantly surprised at how good it was. Most of the songs from the self-titled album are here on "Hammer And Tongs". You can hear the band's influences like The Doors("Sick Baby", with it's Manzarek-like organ)and New Order("Now We Are Married"'s Peter Hook-like bass solo and Martin quoting "Temptation" at the end of "Tounge-Tied). Big John's guitar work is excellent throughout(especialy the solo on "Tounge-Tied) and Shirley's backing vocals are sublime. Her vocals at the end of "Diamonds" while Martin is bellowing about not going back to "Coal Dust Town"(whatever that means)keeps the song from sinking into pretentiousness. The occasional laughable lyric and Martin's lapses into melodramtic vocals keeps me from giving it five stars but it doesn't take away too much from the cd. The cd booklet provides a history of the band. All in all it's a very good cd and you don't have to be a Garbage fan to like it.