Customer Reviews

Little White Lies (Dig)

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is honestly one of the best albums I have ever heard. I've been a fan of Fastball since the late 90's when The Way was on the radio and have been listening ever since, following the band still during their independent stage. Despite many people losing track of this great band, they remain one of my favorites, with great albums that are also among my favorites. This album is no exception. Here's a breakdown:

1.) ALL I WAS LOOKING FOR WAS YOU-A great opener that vocally starts out great and pulls you right in. Also has a piano/organ part right after the line "some marry for money" that I really like.
2.) ALWAYS NEVER-A trippy number with a great chorus. Love the "come on, come on, come on, come on"'s.
3.)THE MODERN WORLD-Besides being a very good song, this also manages to have something to say about the world and some of the people in it. Great addition.
4.)LITTLE WHITE LIES-The title track and a nice tune. I could see this as a single but it's not nearly a high point; that comes later.....
5.)MONO TO STEREO-This is such a great song. Quite possibly the best Miles has ever done. I just absolutely love it. It just plain jams. The title being love song lyrics in audio terms. Excellent. It definitely hooks you.
6.)HOW DID I GET HERE?-A slower little Tony ditty that grows on you.
7.)WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS (EVERYDAY ALL OF THE TIME)-Fantastic! Right up there with MONO TO STEREO for me. A little rock mixed with the pop. The guitar is great in this one as well. Miles can really write 'em.
8.)ANGELIE-I don't really know how to describe this one. Almost sounds experimental. It has a French vibe to it with what sounds like an accordion. It will grow on you, and I really like how this album has songs like this that aren't instantly recognizable.
9.)SHE'S GOT THE RAIN-Another one that could be a single. Shouldn't be, because there are better, but this is easy listening at its best.
10.)RAMPART STREET-This is classic Tony Scalzo and I love it. Reminds me of so many great songs by Tony encompassed in slightly over two minutes of greatness. Also reminds me a little of The Beatles for some reason. Classic.
11.)WHITE NOISE-More of a rocker with heavier guitars. Just another great addition among greats.
12.)SOUL RADIO-Starts with a scream/yell from what sounds like Tony, then goes right into the piano, which is a transition I love. Some of the lyrics are a little trippy, such as the line "no one knows.....which way the wind is gonna blow my mind" and in the chorus: "I feel like I'm floating out in space". A great closer to one of the greatest albums ever.

It's an absolute pleasure to have this and to have followed the band this far. I'm glad I've stuck with them. To newcomers, give this a shot, you may just discover some of the best music out there. Yet, sadly, and this must be said, some of the most overshadowed and overlooked, as many have written this band off and have forgotten about them. Well spread the word, because this album is definitely worth so much more attention than it will get. It's simple, yet very well written material that does exactly what it needs to. It rocks when it needs to rock, slows down when it needs to slow down, and surprises you while occasionally even having something to say amidst just plain jamming. All of that combined is exactly what makes this album the exceptional piece of work that it is. I cannot praise it enough. Thank you Fastball!

I don't write a lot of reviews. Only when something really moves me do I find it necessary for me to tell the world about it.

This record has certainly done its job.

I've spent a lot of time listening to the live versions of these songs in their various stages. Almost every one has been my favorite at any given time, and I'm confident that the ones that haven't yet will be my favorites eventually. "Little White Lies:" the gift that keeps on giving!

For example, it took me a while to appreciate "All I Was Looking For Was You." I don't know why, but it just didn't grab me the first few times. Then one day it just exploded in my head. This is definitely one of the best Fastball songs ever.

"Mono to Stereo" is still a big favorite, especially for the lyrics. "When I heard her voice, she gave me vertigo." What a picture that paints!

I love "White Noise." Definitely the "heaviest" song on the album, the rush of guitar and drums together is just amazing.

"The Malcontent (The Modern World)" really does have that Simon and Garfunkel feel. (Which is great for me because I love Simon and Garfunkel.) It's just such a great song, and one I'm finding I can relate a lot to. This and "Always Never" are very different for the band (moreso the latter), but both succeed in the best ways.

I don't think I can say anything about "Soul Radio" that hasn't been said better already. It's just so right.

Musically, this is the best Fastball has ever been. There's something great about all the previous records, and each has been better than the one before it, so it's really no surprise that this album turned out so fantastic, but I think it's mostly the collaboration between Miles and Tony that's responsible for the success of Little White Lies.

Miles, Tony, and Joey: thank you for producing such a fine album.

I was going to write a long review with my impressions of this great new release from Fastball, but "wiggies" above summed it up quite nicely. I will just add my thoughts on a couple of tracks.

"Always Never" was my early favorite from this collection of outstanding songs. The driving rhythm established early on by electric piano and acoustic guitar carries the song through several changes, including a detour into psychedelia featuring Joseph Shuffield on violin and some pretty trippy vocals from Scalzo and Zuniga, then a sudden change in key to pull you back to reality. It's hard to believe all this happens in a span of barely three minutes, but they pull it off admirably.

"Soul Radio" is perhaps the standout track on this album. With a strong piano part as the base and intertwining lead vocals backed by rich harmony vocals, backwards piano riffs, and Joey Shuffield's dynamic drumming segueing into Scalzo's plaintive vocal solo and culminating in a cacophony of piano, violin and vocals -- well, it has to be heard to be appreciated.

As pointed out, the real strength of this album is the team approach taken by songwriters/musicians Tony Scalzo and Miles Zuniga. Nine of the twelve songs were co-written by the pair (with some help here and there). Both of them, however, also brought a "solo piece" to the project, adding a whole different dimension to the album.

"How Did I Get Here" is a slow, melancholy piece lamenting a love lost. Written and originally recorded by Sclazo for one of his solo projects a couple of years ago, it has been reworked with the addition of Zuniga's perfect backing vocals and additional guitars, transforming a really good song into a great one.

"Angelie" is the wild card on this record. The one song that was never played live until just a couple of weeks before the release date, it represents a real departure from the expected "power-pop" formula. With its rhumba beat, undulating bass line, quirky accordion and backing vibes, Zuniga's song about infatuation quickly became one of my favorites on this disc.

From start to finish, "Little White Lies" sounds fresh and new. Every song is a gem; there are no "throwaways" here. This truly is Fastball's greatest effort to date. One can only hope there will be much more to come from these guys.

I've been waiting for this record for several months now. I've heard almost all of these songs before, as I've seen Fastball play every chance I've had for the last couple of years. So, I've been able to hear these songs evolve in their live show, but knowing the craftsmanship and care these guys put into their studio work, I couldn't wait for this disc to be released.

I'm happy to say that they have exceeded my expectations. Each song included here is strong and the synergy between Miles Zuniga and Tony Scalzo--always evident in their vocal harmonies--has taken on a new dimension in their songwriting. Earlier Fastball always showed the individual brilliance of these two gifted writers, but on Little White Lies, the collaboration that began with 2004's Keep Your Wig On has matured into a multi-faceted jewel.

Highlights include:
-the opening track (All I Was Looking For Was You), in which the search for a distinctive musical style serves as a metaphor for finding true love--itself a metaphor for finding one's musical soulmate ...
-Always and Never, which starts as a mood piece and quickly ventures into spacy jazzy pop without ever losing its heart ...
-the title track, Little White Lies, which gives us a rocking modern pop disco take on the things we deliberately don't notice because it's easier ...
-She's Got the Rain, which will earn Beatles comparisons, but is pulled off so effortlessly that you're not at all sure exactly which Beatles songs you think it was influenced by ...
-Soul Radio, probably my favorite song on this collection (though it's really hard to choose), a wistful reflection on the breakdown of communication in a relationship and the consequent loss ...

The disc presents a variety of styles, from disco to rhumba, to flat-out-balls-to-the-wall rock 'n' roll, but every song is meticulously crafted and carefully executed, with hooks that keep bringing me back for another listen. The production is pristine and sparkling--everything is just right in the mix, and only serves to highlight the fact that these guys just plain sound great when they sing together.

I imagine that most reviewers will feel the need to recall Fastball's brief fling with huge success on the strength of their platinum album, All the Pain Money Can Buy and its breakout hit "The Way." But this is really a different band to me--more mature, and much more self-assured. It's clear they're making the music that they want to. My only hope is that this record will find the wide audience it deserves.

If you heard Fastball back in the 90s and know of them as "That band that has those couple of songs...The Way and uh...Out of My Head, yeah!" and you have your doubts about whether or not they've still got it after so many years, I can safely assure you THEY DO. Little White Lies is an amazing album and quickly ranked in my top 5 ever. Every song has its own reasons why it should be loved. A true test of an album for me is whether I can put it on random and be happy no matter which song plays. I find this to be the case with this album.

Some stand-outs on the album are All I Was Looking For Was You, which is very upbeat and makes of an amazing track to be played with the windows down on a warm and sunny summer afternoon. The Malcontent has great harmonizing between the lead and back-up, and speaks very accurately of the current state of society. How Did I Get Here? and Soul Radio are easily my two favorite tracks on the album. How Did I Get Here? has an extremely catchy chorus that I found myself singing (attempting to sing) every time. Soul Radio is a song that I heard live before I heard the album version and I knew the first time I heard it that it would rank among my favorite Fastball songs ever. I put this song right up there with You're An Ocean and Out of My Head, my two very favorites. It's in the top three now. The piano and bass are great, the vocals contain some very clever lyrics such as "No one knows the way, which way the wind is gonna blow my mind." and there's a special little "cherry on top" of such a good song with some intentional back-masking at the end where Tony sings the chorus in an electronic voice. Just perfect.

So to conclude a somewhat winded (it's been 5 years though...come on, I can be a little winded) review, BUY THIS ALBUM. The five star rating was a no-brainer for me.

Fastball's latest release, Little White Lies, is hands-down the best album I've bought this year. Catchy pop power music that jingles and jangles with a whiff of the Beatles and tip of the hat to Tom Petty and the Byrds. With superb song writing, lots of variety (no two songs sound alike), and velvety vocal harmonies, this album has already earned a permanent place in my playlists. After just a week I can't get it out of my head and look forward to listening to it again and again and again.

The other reviews say all the other things I might say and say them quite eloquently so I'll leave it at this: "Just buy it. You won't be sorry."

Following Fastball since their breakthrough hit, "The Way" has always intrigued me how a band keeps growing and exploring new direction with each musical project. Never falling into the "formula" that seems to plague music today. Enter "Little White Lies", the band's long awaited follow up to "Keep Your Wig On". This time, the band is involved in all aspects of the CD, including production. Miles and Tony's songwriting continues to grow and explore different directions. Their harmonies are tighter, perfect blend of harmonies and art. Joey's drumming continues to bring the necessary foundation to bring it all together. There are no weak tunes here. Each has their own personality that flows well from 1 to 12. It's a CD you just can't put down and listen once. How many can you say that to, today!!

From the moment the opening song's guitar riff bursts through your ears, until the climatic fade of the closing song resonates in your brain, "Little White Lies" is pure Power Pop bliss. Miles Zuniga and Tony Scalzo are in top songwriting form, channeling The Beatles, Elvis Costello, and even Squeeze, yet still sounding like Fastball. This is a bona fide work of passion, with lyrics of love and life, loss and hope; A refreshing success, do not pass it up!

I won't belabor the specifics. Its just an excellent Fastball album. So glad to have them back, and looking forward to playing it to death over the summer!

Why do we still love (should I mention them...) The Beatles? It's the quality of the songs. Great compositions, great feel for melody.

Let's not waste too many words here - just enjoy Fastball. If you don't like this great band and new album you should be musically re-educated!

Cheers