Customer Reviews

Magnified

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ahhh...Magnified...the sophomore album from the Greg Edwards/Ken Andrews vehicle known as Failure. I was actually introduced to this band from a magazine article, in which Maynard Keenan (Tool) tells of a discussion he had with Ken Andrews way back in 1994, involving dark tonal styles in music. Intrigued, I purchased Magnified on its original release date...thus beginning my love affair with the "word-of-mouth" band, a band whose popularity actually increased following its breakup. While not as intricate as the group's masterpiece, Fantastic Planet, Magnified provides a exceptional view into the early days of this fine ensemble. The production quality of this release far exceeds that of the band's debut, Comfort; this is probably due to the fact that on that release, producer Steve Albini had been trying for his trademark unpolished sound, which did not seem to fit this group, and which ultimately resulted in a flawed album. Magnified succeeds where Comfort did not, still giving the listener a taste of the raw sounds heard in the debut, but expanding and improving upon them with excellent production values and a heightened sense of craftmanship. I mentioned tone earlier in this review; I have always thought of Failure's sound as "happily melancholy", and indeed, every song makes you feel just a little sad, but at the same time makes you feel extraordinarily good about this sadness, especially on the songs 'Bernie' and 'Empty Friend'. 'Frogs' is urgent and driving (my favorite); 'Small Crimes' is the exact opposite, while matching its intensity, and all the other songs fare just as well. Ken and Greg performed most of the songs on Magnified themselves, and they complemented each other so well in performance that you could close your eyes and never tell who was playing what instrument. The crunchy basslines, the crystalline high guitar riffs - all would become characteristic of Failure's sound. As of this writing, Amazon hasn't added a songlist or samples, so trust me on this. The one nice thing that has come of Failure's dissolution is that its members are able to lend their creativity to other efforts; Ken Andrews has formed a new project, On, with a more synthpop-type sound, and produces and guides other groups like Blinker the Star and Annetenna (Ednaswap), and Kelli Scott now drums with the aforementioned Blinker; Greg Edwards has played with Lusk and is working with a new group, and of course Troy is with A Perfect Circle. I was horrified when Magnified went out of print, and snatched up as many copies as I could for friends and for posterity. Many kudos to the folks at Rhino who recognized the importance of this album, and allowing those who missed it the first time around to experience the inimitable sonic wonder that was Failure. My highest recommendation.

Yes, you heard me: this album surpasses Fantastic Planet. This album has an extremely unusual mood which I haven't found anywhere again. It has intriguing lyrics with unusual, provocative imagery and bizarre themes layered over some crazy flanged, distorted water guitar tones. I honestly can't do this album justice with words, but I can tell you that it is cohesive, mysterious and scary yet humorous and carnival, sociopathic, twisted and lost. It contains unusual imagery and themes, and is very reliant on the disorted bass chords of Greg Edwards.

It amazes me how they managed to create such intricate feelings and moods in such a simplistic way. Failure knew how to utilize subtlety and dissonance to an extreme that made them better than Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains or Pearl Jam - they surpassed all of those '90s bands, yet no one knew of them. Fantastic Planet might make a better starting point, as it's a bit more conventional and accessible but also very epic and diverse.

Oddly enough, the album begins with its weakest track but arguably ends with its strongest. Songs like Moth and Frogs not only showcase their mood-creating ability and lyrical uniqueness, but also show how good they were at creating music that fit the lyrics: Frogs really sounds amphibious with its chirping guitar effects, and the beginning of Moth sounds like a moth flying in an awkward fashion. The b-side 'Golden' sounds like a rusty bridge swaying, and 'Another Space Song' from Fantastic Planet sets a black background with its distorted bass fifths and the treble guitar line creates stars in the foreground. You'll know exactly what I mean when you hear these songs: this band knew what they were doing.

'Bernie' is an oddly trippy mellow song with a bizarre guitarline. 'Magnified' shows a more extreme side of them, with sociopathic lyrics that abandon all rules. One of the biggest highlights of the album is 'Undone', which revels in its own detatchedness and brings you with it. In 'Small Crimes', you will find yourself hypnotized and lost in a tangled forest.

Overall, this album reveals itself to be much more than a normal '90s rock record, always intelligent and often nearly brilliant. This is definitely one of my all-time favorite records, and I listen to a very wide variety of genres. Just a warning: give it a chance. Failure will seem dull at first, especially if you start with Fantastic Planet, but soon reveals itself to be much more.

this was the first failure cd i ever heard, and a good one to start off with.. it has a few of their very best songs like frogs, bernie and wet gravity, and it seems to have this strange feel to it, like youre really exploring something different.. the mood is one of acceptance, yet uneasiness, and ken andrews vocals heighten that feeling as he leads u down a somewhat dark path into his emotions... the sound of failure is quite heavy especially due to the distorted bass ... some songs have a great explosive conclusion like bernie and wet gravity, and some are quick pounders like let it drip and magnified.. this album has some really interesting thought provoking lyrics as well... i would say this album ranks as one of the better albums of the decade... a good one to start off with, but also pick up fantastic planet.. it is magnified and so much more..

Failure are possibly one of the most underrated bands of the 90's. Unfortunately they never achieved the commercial success of friends Tool, but give this album a listen and you will be left cursing the fickle tastes of the rock industry. On 'Magnified', their 2nd release, Failure have honed their clear, heavy sound to near perfection. (For perfection, see their final release 'Fantastic Planet'). This sound is both dark and humorous, quirky yet disturbing. Amidst the distortion there is a clarity and harmony to the songs that can only be described as 'Beatles-esque' if this gives some indication of the caliber of songwriting displayed by Ken Andrews and Greg Edwards. 'Let It Drip' is a fast-paced, distorted song which draws the listener to a state of near-hypnosis. 'Moth' uses a clever song-structure and goes from soft to sonic euphoria seamlessly. The lyrics are excellent throughout, combining bitter humour with a keen sense of poetic imagery. Failure use a whole range of instruments with subtlety to create a textured sound and mood. Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of Failure's sound is the rich, angst-free voice of Andrews which carries the melody across simply and confidently. Don't expect any showy crooning, just powerful melodies. 'Magnified' is a beautiful and cathartic album which will leave you wanting more Failure. Unlike the frog on the cover, this CD won't be leaping about. It will stay firmly in your CD player where it belongs.

So good to see the folks at Rhino recognize what a great and unheralded band Failure was. Originally released on L.A.'s seminally punk Slash records, "Magnified" marked a turning point for the band (only Ken Andrews and Greg Edwards, really) where they define their unique sound and develop the formula that becomes even more effective on the longer "Fantastic Planet", where songs seam together with dreamy studio sketches and intros or outros.

The opening trilogy starts off with a guitar growl that is very similar to the ending of the last song on their debut lp "Comfort" (also available from Rhino - buy it! buy it! buy it!). Just as the guitars begin to lift off, the song takes an abrupt plummet into the loping gallup of drums and muted guitar that is but one of their strong suits. Edwards' obtuse poesy drives this second piece, and dense waves of guitars come crashing in at key points. At their final fade, a fat, fuzzy bass line kicks into "Frogs" which has an infectuous beat reminiscent of Gary Glitter's "Rock 'n' Roll" anthem. The guitars (played by Edwards, as well as drums) are out of this world, dripping and oozing into cracks in my brain that no other music can touch. As the music fades, the guitars' siren call lifts higher and higher as Andrews calls out "So long...so long."

Although it took me longer to warm up to the gentler tracks, and the final cut really plods along, the massive radiance of the cynical "Undone" won me over immediately. For the perfect example of how difficult it is to describe this band, you need to hear "Wonderful Life" ("I'm going down/To the wonderful life") which strikes the delicate balance between despair and glory that these guys revel in. I saw this performed live and will never forget it.

Like the field of poppies in "The Wizard of OZ", Failure's sound has a hypnotic pull you will want to settle into and never come out of. Loud and soothing, with a dense, shiny heaviness, Failure's music is perfect for an overcast day when you don't feel like doing anything with your body.

injustice. maximum bold-faced injustice that this album is not resting comfortably in millions of homes the world over. every day, uncountable children go to bed hungry at night. and if all the money that's sent to feed them went instead to this band, then maybe ther'd be some justice. but not yet.

Track Listing:

1. Let It Drop
2. Moth
3. Frogs
4. Bernie
5. Magnified
6. Wonderful Life
7. Undone
8. Wet Gravity
9. Empty Friend
10. Small Crimes

[Disclaimer: The track list for this album is provided as a courtesy, because at the time of this listing, there were no song titles available on this page, for this title. We feel that you should be aware of what songs are on this album before making your purchase. Enjoy!]

I recommended this album to a friend and when asked "What mood should I be in when I listen to it?", I found I had no idea really.

So, after much thought, I decided that the best word to describe Failure, this release especially, is visceral (meaning felt on the inside, in case you were wondering).

Failure is the only band that makes my insides ache and feel pleasure at the same time. Listening to them is like having really amazing, but really gritty sex. ('Undone' exemplifies this beautifully.)

The overdrive of the bass lines on this album makes my ears tingle with excitement, but every other element is worthy of praise. (I'm a bassist though, so I'm inclined to mention the bass.) Though Magnified has a much more has a raw tone than Fantastic Planet, it is incredibly composed and no other band or album I have ever come across can even compare to it.

Basically, Failure is too much for words, but I had to at least attempt.

For anyone who likes music, this album is a gem and worthy investment.

Failure was pretty self indulgent in the beginning. THis is obvious with their earlier release Comfort, which honestly I didnt really care for all too much, but changes up with their next release, Magnified. THese are 10 of the most beautiful thought provoking "grunge" songs i have heard in my life. THey are obviously making the music for the fans as well as theirselves and dont really care if the mass public likes it or not. Ken Andrews' voice is like an inside out Kurt Cobain and fits the sometimes gloomy sometimes upbeat tempo of the music like an old shoe. Greg Edwards', the lesser known of the two at this point, adds a surreal quality to the music with his bass lines. Highlights include Moth, Frogs, Undone, and the ethereal final track, Small Crimes. Maynard from Tool has also quoted Failure to be his favorite band. I would buy this one over all of their other stuff, it is definitely their best album. Well worth the money, a bargain at only 12 dollars.

If you've never heard FAILURE before, then you definitely need to check them out. Their sound fits best in the Alt. metal genre, but get this, it doesn't suck. If you have tendencies to liking really loud bands like Tool or the Deftones, then you really need to own this. It is better than anything either of those two bands have ever done. The instrumentation is much stronger and more artistic. They explored other styles and were able to draw the good aspects of bands like sonic youth or husker du into their sound. The only problem with this album are the lyrics. They aren't bad, but the instrumentation should be the listeners focus. One of the best recordings of the nineties. Enough said.