Customer Reviews

Head to the Ground

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

 

 

I saw this band perform in 1987 and subsequently bought their CD on the Columbia label. Even as it was released, it appears the label had put the project on the backburner. The Soundgardenesque sound at the time was being overshadowed by keyboard augmented hard rock (a la In the Meantime). Too bad. This disc contains several tracks that should have been massive rock hits including Blood Red Crush and Dissapear. The label can also be faulted for releasing the wrong lead off single in Download. This band rocks Soundgarden and STP at their aggressive, infectious best. The songs will become instant favorites and will leave you wondering how such a brilliant debut came and went without a sound.

There is truely something special about this record. The melodies, raw guitar crunch and well-timed crescendos make for a memorable musical experience. OK, so I might be slipping off the edge a little, but this may be my favorite album ever. Aaron's awesome vocals strike right at the heart and are dead on tight. The bass work is exceptional; no guitar solos, but the meat of the tunes doesn't require Stevie Ray workmanship.

All in all, a fantastic rock recording well worth your time to acquire a copy.

...is that this was their only album. I caught their act at Music Midtown (Atlanta, GA) some years ago, and was completely caught off guard. Their music and their performance had an incredible amount of energy, and deserved a better timeslot than they received (1:00pm, i believe). I bought their T-Shirt at the show and their CD a few days later. I still dig that album out from time to time to listen to Download, Blood Red Crush, and Starman. Like some other reviewers suggested, if you're into STP/Soundgarden-esque sound, then this cd is worth a spin.

"Head To The Ground" was released in 1996 as Expanding Man's big label (Columbia/Q Division) debut. Alas - the marriage did not last. The Boston band quit/was dumped by/ the label after this one album, depending on who you ask. It's a shame - because Expanding Man has some well-crafted, hooky power rock, at times reminiscent of Soundgarden, in the same well-crafted, hooky power rock vein as STP, Alice in Chains, and their spawn. The style of sonic splendour that the E-Men strive for is notch above boring top 40 rockers Third Eye Blind, Matchbox 20, etc., on the hook-o-meter. But - you still gotta deliver the goods. "Head To The Ground" has some songs that grab you and some that don't. "Put Me Out" and "Starman" are extremely diggable. They're every bit as interesting as "Eve 6" or any other straight ahead power-rock outfit you're hearing on the radio these days, take your pick. The problem - as almost every "expanding man" knows - is keeping it up. The big-league-quality hooks start to wane after four tracks, the rest of the album is good, but unremarkable. Bottom line - if you like any of the aforementioned bands, you will dig this album. Why those bands made it big and this one hasn't so far - well if I knew the answer I'd use it for my own band and not tell you!:) PS- If you get a chance to see the band live - do it (maybe you can pick up "Chevy", the band's between-deals demo tape for short $$ - or even free!)

As a fan of the alt-rock music scene in Boston for nearly ten years, Expanding Man had become a fixture that was hard to ignore. Their live shows were straight-ahead rock blasts, with intense guitar riffs and searing vocals. Their trademark song "Screws" and the live version of "Free TVs" (off of an earlier EP) were absolutely dynamite. So what happened here? Too much polish, not enough crunch and abandon that make their live shows so terrific. The best songs on "Head to the Ground" are the ones which did not suffer the indignity of overworking. "Head to the Ground", "Download (I Will)" and "Put Me Out" are dynamite fare, excellent songs which should have made them a fixture on alt-rock stations across the country. Not pushing new boundaries in rock, their style is very reminiscient of Soundgarden and STP, and it comes through loud and clear in these tracks. But "Screws" and "Starman" are victims of this overproduction, and ultimately disappoint. "Put Me Out" is solid, but I get the feeling that they were playing out the string. Overall the album is better than a lot which get major airplay today. It is a keeper, but get "Free TVs" if you want to hear this band at their best.

After reading the review of this band by another Amazonian, I have to disagree and agree with his assessments. The band is stellar with hooks in more than just 4 tracks, and the power of the band is undeniable. However, it got lost in the shuffle of similar sounds in a time when R&B is the popular selling music. If this band had peaked in the early 90s, they would have been huge. Who knows what will happen for them next, but after having a chance to meet them and having been in school for a time with one of the guitar players (not saying which one), I can tell you it was not a personality fault. These guys flat out deserved more respect from their label. The final track is a classic song in its sonic textures and ambient grace. I wish they played it out when I saw them live to see if they could pull it off with the same conviction. I hope to they find the light of day one more time and maybe somebody will give them more of a shot and put a little more muscle into the machinery.

Expanding Man has released a new album. It is on iTunes and will also be available on Amazon very soon. It's titled: Love and Disaster. Thanks for all the kind words.