Customer Reviews

Humanistic

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4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Abandoned Pools' Humanistic is a supurb rock debut. Fans of Vast, Dave Navarro, Sunna, and A Perfect Circle will find alot to like here. Former Eels bassist Tommy Walter has outdone himself lyricaly, vocally and instrumentally. While comparisons to the Smashing Pumpkins abound, and indeed there is justification for it, vocally Walter couldn't sound any MORE differnt from Billy Corgan. If your desperate for vocal comparisons one might say he sounds like Jon Crosby of Vast and less often, but sometimes like Richard Patricks'(Filter) more melodic moments. Musically, Abandoned Pools are comprable to a less industrial and more straight forward rock version of Nine Inch Nails or Filter(their 2nd record anyway). There is no goth/industrial overtones to be found on Humanistic. Just mild industrial undertones. Despite the use of a keyboard & synthesizers you would be VERY hard pressed to compare Abandoned Pools to Deadsy,Orgy or Godhead. Abandoned Pools are as differnt from(and better than) those bands, as Tool is from Britney Spears...which leads us to lryical content. Tommy Walter's song writting style can be compared to the dynamic of Maynard Keenan or Trent Reznor. A varitable mastermind. This cd would be at home in anyones collection (unless of course, u only listen to rap, country, pop, or blistering death metal). If you like driving hard rock and the occasional mellow song <with several songs landing between the two extremes> this is your disk. Stand out tracks include but are not limited to the current single "The Remedy", the very well done ballad "Start Over", "Monster" a near perfect hard rock track, and the dark and haunting but beautiful "Flourescein".

Well, it seems that one-man bands are becoming very popular. You can't turn a corner without seeing bands like 30 Seconds to Mars, Custom, Dashboard Confessional and Pete Yorn, all of whom are pretty much led by one person. So yes, they are becoming very popular.

And it's a good thing too, because they're pretty damn good.

Abandoned Pools is no exception. This band, fronted by Tommy Walter, came off originally (to me) as a mix between Stabbing Westward and Sister Hazel. This was mostly based on their first single, "The Remedy", a nice blend of above-par pop rock and certain harder, moodier elements. But then as I dug deeper into the band, I realized that there are many layers to their sound, many of which can be overlooked in "The Remedy". One realizes this as (s)he passes through the opening track into songs like "Start Over" and "Suburbian Muse". Both of these songs have a serene sound, one that projects a certain pleasantry within the listener, but at the same time reminding him that all is not well. This is a sound not heard frequently in the modern rock scene.

In the midst of the Retro turmoil that has been injecting itself into the rock scene (White Stripes, Strokes, Vines, etc.), these guys bring in a sound that seems to be more derivative than original. In other words, they seem to be a composition of elements and genres, rather than an explicitly "new" sound. Despite this, they succeed in my book. I will attribute this mainly to the sound itself, without ignoring the range these songs encompass. The two said songs (along with "Sunny Day") are pleasant, soft, and almost cute. On the complete other side, songs like "Monster" and "Mercy Kiss" will find you chasing the band as they romp through angst-laden riffs, never letting down. At the end of the day, I will call them a mix between Athenaeum and Incubus.

--"Everyone's a rockstar/look how cool and dark you are"--"Monster"

Too often in today's music scene audiences and album buyers are force fed empty music. Everyone has a gimmick nowdays and I, amongst others, am sick of being underminded and expected to fall in line and buy into this numbing music they continue to throw my way. Enter Tommy Walter's (formerly of "The Eels") project, "Abandoned Pools." Every word, harmony, chord, etc on "Humanistic" rings truth. This album is filled with tracks of every lyrical and musical mood, providing a fresh breath from albums that take one subject and style and go with it simply because it "works". Starting with the catchy, electro pop tune "The Remedy" and ending with the introspective "Fluorescein" which leaves the listener, themselves, filled with frantic emotion that calminates with a sense of peace and hope. Inbetween lies songs of letting go ("Mercy Kiss") and new beginnings ("Start Over") and the melodramatic, break of a relationship track "Never" is the perfect lead right into the self-indulgent "Seed." The intelligent, insightful "Monster", is the perfect representation of what I take from the musical experience this album provides: Breaking free and overcoming all that ties you down. We all go through many moods along our journey and it's great to have music to relate, feel, and help us endure and enjoy along the way.

This record should have been more popular. Fans of late 80's/early 90's alternative will like it as well as the kids who are into the lighter bubblegum stuff of today. If it were a cereal it would be Cap'n'Crunch - Crunchy, but sweet. And not unlike milk, its good for you.

It has been a long while since I have spent hard earned money on a CD. It seems lately that the pop prince's and princesse's have taken over our musical kingdom. The new record Humanistic from Abandoned Pools has not left my Cd Player since I got it. All the songs sound different, whether hard rocking to the sweet crooning of Ruin Your Life, in which revenge never sounded so sweet. Fluorescein is another great one as well as the single Mercy Kiss. Every song on the album is amazing and it's time to Rock again and NOT rock the cradle.

this is the first solo project from former eels, tommy walter. Being a big eels fan I have been waiting for this one for some time. The wait was worth it. While it is not a ground breaking record, it is an excellent one. In particular the song Ruin Your Life is great. Don't expect it to sound like the eels. Tommy has his own sound that is more like Failure or Smashing Pumkins.

It's a shame that modern rock and alternative radio is what it is today - Blink-182, Limp Bizkit, and many of their cookie cutter protégés. It is also a shame that amidst this current frat rock format former Eels bassist Tommy Walter's new project, Abandoned Pools, might go unnoticed. Were this the mid-nineties when groups like Smashing Pumpkins and Bush were lighting up the airwaves with their synth stylings Walter and Pools would have definitely gotten the commercial attention it so richly deserves. That's not to say that Walter still doesn't have the chance to get his music heard by the masses as opening spots for acts as diverse as Garbage and Lenny Kravitz this year will attest to the accessibility of his debut disc, Humanistic, and its ability to appeal to the tastes of all audiences.

On Humanistic Walter tries to break down the wall between pop icon and everyday life as he writes about egotistical rock stars and the darker more difficult side of suburbia. The album opens with current single "The Remedy" and instantly sets the mood of the disc - dark electro-pop songs with an edge. Former Frente vocalist Angie Hart lends her voice to four of the poppier tracks on the disc including "Suburban Muse" and "Ruin Your Life." While Walter played most of the instruments himself, A Perfect Circle drummer Josh Freese lends his talents to the record. The acoustic ballad "Never" shows that Walter's tunes would be just as well received if he stripped away the synth and reduced the songs to their bare bones. He sings and writes like Billy Corgan on "Monster," while "Fluorescein" details Walter's relationship with his father closing the disc with his father's voice as a 21-year-old. "Seed" can be read as Walter's take on rock star/groupie sex with lyrics like "Hey, you know I really liked your show ... Fill up my emptiness its you I wanna know." Despite the attention that Humanistic seems to place on battling pretension and arrogance, the underlying theme to the disc is what it means to be sincere and human weaving a delicate blend of man-made melody with an electronically enhanced sound.

This cd, in short, is just amazing. The mellow feel, yet tender energy that this album breathes is reminiscent of my favorite band of all time. That's right-I'm talking about the Smashing Pumpkins. Just like the Pumpkins' cd's, Humanistic conveys its message without being vague. I am really looking forward to future releases from Abandoned Pools. Also, I'd just like to say that I respect and agree with anyone who says the Pumpkins are a great band.

I first heard of Abandoned Pools when I saw the video for "Remedy" on MuchMusic. I immediately told my friends about it and went out and bought the album. It is not a disappointment. Listening to this, I can hear what I wish popular music sounded like today. This album gives me hope that something listenable might be on the brink of "breaking" the mainstream. All I can say is I adore this album and can not wait until I get to see them live. I am excited just thinking about it.

I guess it's good to sound like another famous band especially after they break up. That's not to say that this band isn't really good. They are! I'm glad I can keep on hearing a truly unique sound through a different effort like with Abandoned Pools. I highly recommend buying this mesmerizing and hypnotic Cd.