Making the Grade [Enhanced]

Diffuser | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 15, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: Hollywood Records
• ASIN: B0000A0DV8
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #317,093 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Diffuser makes me feel like a school girl..., December 12, 2003

By 

tbiddy (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Making the Grade (Audio CD)

I know, I know. I'm probably too old to like this stuff. Heck, this made me even question my membership as a manly-man. But, lo and behold...I looked in the mirror this morning, facial hair? Check. Yes, it's true...I'm still a man. But you know what didn't change? I STILL like this album. Maybe I won't like it 2 years from now, maybe I will, but there is one thing I've learned in my short 25 years on the planet Earth: you have to critique music on the merits of their respective genres. Meaning, if it's nu-metal, is it GOOD nu-metal, if it's pop-punk, is it GOOD pop-punk?

Diffuser could fit nicely in the categories of emo/pop-punk/power-pop. Before you review (or more accurately make an alleged "un-biased" "biased" judgment) you must FIRST know what you're getting yourself into. Are we gonna hear rabid, rapid-fire political rants? Nope. Are we going to hear bloodcurdling screams and/or barking followed by frantic, frenetic strumming and inhuman tempo changes? Probably not. Should we suspect hook-laden melodies, and infectious even "bratty," occasionally vulgar, corn-syrupy sweet vocal harmonies? Darn tootin.' APLENTY.

Now, I admit I'm making a reviewer "cardinal sin" by not having heard any of Diffuser's other releases. Some might argue this might make my review either "less valid" or "more objective" depending on your viewpoint, but I'm throwing all that out the window and reviewing this album solely on its own individual effort.

Like when listening to a lot of pop music, or watching any movie made in the 80's you have to have sort of a "suspension of disbelief" if you will. In other words...just have fun. Get lost in it, don't think about it too much, just kick back and go with the flow. Diffuser makes it very easy to do this. Hook after hook, melody after melody this album does not let up. If you like super radio friendly pop-music, or are a teenage girl...you'll eat this stuff for breakfast. This album makes ME want to put on a Catholic school-girl uniform and put my hair in pigtails.

But fear not my hardrockin' and or/homophobic friends. There's some good ol' fashioned gweetar chuggin' on this album as well. This album certainly rocks out at times, and the production is top notch courtesy of emo/punk uber-producer Mark Trombino. This man knows how to crank out the good punk tunes. Look no further than Finch if you don't think this man can crank out a "fresh" album.

There are some subtle things on the album that some "mildly-seasoned" and "seasoned" "production douche-bags" such as myself will enjoy. The wide-panned vocals when the choruses kick in, the left-right panning on the various instruments, and subtle guitar tone changes that change the character of some of the songs. You'll have to listen REALLY closely for that kind of stuff...this is just to illustrate that SONICALLY this album is musical BUTTER.

Some of my personal favorite standouts include: Only in the Movies, I Wonder and the outstanding "I hit repeat EVERYTIME I listen to it" song: She's All Mine.

Dope, dope, dope...

She's All Mine is a FINE example of controlled production. The guitar tone is actually very "nu-metal," but instead, Mark Trombino is focused on the melody and vocals of the song.

So, why...oh, why T. Biddy after popping a musical "woody" over this teeny-bopper album would you only give it 4 stars?

Well, there are a couple of burned edges on this tasty slice of "buttered musical toast." Breakaway sounds a little too much like a Barenaked Ladies B-side, while pseudo-acoustic number Long Way from Home feels a bit out of place and a smidge "Dashboard Confessional-ish" for such a speedy straightforward rockin' album. This song makes me feel like I got shot in the back of the neck with a tranquilizer dart after bouncing around like a 16 year-old at a Blink-182 concert.

And now I must reclaim my dignity as a man by popping in a Pantera or Ice Cube CD, dragging my knuckles and scratching myself...

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Making The Grade, July 17, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Making the Grade (Audio CD)

Diffuser's album Making The Grade is an above average attempt at a record for the masses. Heartfelt, easy to relate to lyrics paired with rock instrumentation give this band one decent addition to anyone's collection. "New High", "Get It On", and "I Wonder" are definately not your average uptempo hits, nor are they what makes this band different from the rest; songs including "Breakaway", "Nothing Left To Say", and "She's All Mine" are just the right type of calm, serene, slower balads that seperate them from all the other new alterna-pop/punk rock bands the new music scene is fueled by. A definate to take a few listens to.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A Radical change for Diffuser, and not for the better, December 15, 2003

By 

"radujak" (San Diego) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Making the Grade (Audio CD)

I was introduced to Diffuer by the Mission Impossible 2 soundtrack. I liked their single "Karma" enough to go out and by their album Injury Loves Melody, a truly great album that was just straight out rock'n'roll. Imagine my dismay when I heard the few first songs off of this release. They have been tranformed into a generic pop-punk band meant to appeal to the teeny-boppers who buy Good Charlotte and A simple plan albums. Their songs could not possibly be more cliche. I would recommend buying their first album, but their second album makes me want to cry. Of course, their objective with this Cd was album sales, and that, no doubt, is what this album will acheive.