Customer Reviews

Into the New

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

 

 

Most people outside of Austin and South Texas have never heard of Vallejo. Into The New is the best way to introduce new listeners to these brothers from Austin. I have seen them perform, and they are truly a kickin' band. They don't play the typical whining alternative, but a fast up beat sound that gets you wanting to jump around. This is a great CD to have for when you drive anywhere, and this is a CD everybody can listen to.

I've been a die-hard Vallejo fan since the beginning. But this band has matured with the release of each album. "Into the New" continues that trend. It's got something for everyone: a good rock base, a little rap and some Latin beats thrown in for good measure. Highlights of the album are the laidback "Slide," the dark yet optimistic "Dia de Muerto," and the hard worker's anthem, "Modern Day Slave." This CD NEVER leaves my CD player. Lead singer A.J. Vallejo has a smooth, powerful voice, and he makes an excellent frontman for six oustanding musicians. (Omar plays the trumpet beautifully on "La Familia" and "El Matador"!)

I would find it hard to describe their sound or to compare them to other bands. But if it helps, I like groups like Fuel, Incubus, Better Than Ezra, Soundgarden, Dave Matthews Band...mostly alternative rock music--Vallejo fits into that category pretty well.

As a journalist, I recently had the priveledge of interviewing singer, and suffice it to say that Vallejo is just as cool as the group's music. The music is amazing, but to see these guys live is a whole other story. They definitely live up to their title as one of the hottest live bands in Texas, and the U.S. for that matter!

In much the same manner as their first three discs ( Sins, Vallejo, Beautiful Life ) Vallejo has again managed to fuse much of their electifying stage presence with studio material. This is alternative without the B/S that usually goes with the genre ( no need for shock lyrics, these guys are real musicians! )and this disc blends in well with their previous efforts. If you like original music crafted by actual musicians ( not studio "producers" ) then GO BUY THIS RIGHT NOW!! Every track is diverse, which simply means that the core sound is there, no matter if the track is fast or slow, anthem or ballad. This a band that crosses any barrier, pleases every audience, and plays every song and gig with heart and soul. Buy the album and you'll HAVE to catch them LIVE! DON'T MISS THEM!!

This band is a variety rock band for everyone. It's definitely modern rock all the way, but with elements of funk, cha-cha, little bit of hip-hop, latin, mixed with soul. Every other song on this album is my favorite, Into the New, Someway, La Familia, Modern Day Slave, The beginning, Classico, Back in the Day, DIa de muerto - actually I like them all... Get this cd! You will enjoy it!

Vallejo is one of the most talented and underappreciated bands out there. They're fun and catchy, yet very eclectic and diverse. They're all excellent musicians, and A.J. has a really cool and distinctive voice.

This album is full of diversity, from the punchy raprock of "Over You", to the traditional Spanish acoustics of "La Familia", to the straight-ahead hard rock of the title track. They blend many different musical styles, from rock, to rap, to blues, to funk, and fit them together perfectly with catchy and concise song structures. My pick of the bunch is "Modern Day Slave", a catchy rocker with a slight funky groove. This song also features a guest appearance from the absolutely incredible MC Overlord, who contributes a jaw-dropping rap section toward the end. This guy's just friggin amazing. He's got such perfect flow, and amazing technique, and it fits together with the song so incredibly well. I wouldn't be surprised if he just came in and rapped something off the top of his head, without even having to do any previous writing. This guy is good.

Anyway, this is an excellent, and criminally underappreciated album. These guys deserve to be much more popular than they are. Buy all their albums, and go see them live if you ever get the chance. I've seen them twice, and they were amazing both times. They've got such powerful stage presence, especially A.J., whose wild and unpredictable antics are nothing short of entertaining. I even saw them do "Modern Day Slave" with MC Overlord, which was just amazing.

Anyway, once again, buy this. They are one of the best bands you have never heard.

Before I brought this CD, I the only song I had heard of their's was an mp3 of "Into the New". Although the rest of the songs are very different from that one and cover a ton of genres, the whole thing flows pretty good and is basically high-energy pop rock along the lines of Matchbox 20, with some latin and rap influences thrown in for good measure. If you are looking for something fresh and different than what is being played on the radio these days, try Vallejo. They're pretty cool.

Texas band Vallejo is usually adept at mixing rock,blues,funk & anything else with a southern feel. On Into The New they take their ideas a little too far. The title track puts their confident rock together with extra electronic production that just does not work. That theme repeats itself a lot, as even better numbers like the heavy "Modern Day Slave" are sabotaged by a techno-rap ending. The acoustic "Back In The Day" and the superfly-funk of "Let It Slide" show what they're really capable of, without electronic hijinx. Their brand of earthy rock is good enough on its own without trying to "update" it.