Customer Reviews

Manifest Destiny

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

 

 

This is it, the Dictators' infamous sellout album. This album is so different from their previous album, the classic "Go Girl Crazy", that you would swear it's a completely different band (actually, they just added one new member, got a new drummer and shuffled roles a bit). But if it's a sellout, every band should wish they could sell out this well. The reason it's considered a sellout is that after the dismal sales of GGC, songwriter Adny Shernoff decided that the Dictator's brand of rock'n'roll humor was too sophisticated for the average dumb heavy metal fan (which is true), so he proceeded to write an album of great songs with intentionally trite lyrics. Note the "intentionally" -- most bands who write trite lyrics (such as Loverboy and Foreigner from that era) write them because they can't do any better. That couldn't be further from the truth here -- Adny was (and is) an amazingly clever lyricist. So what do you get? "Exposed" is a great pop song that reminds me of the Outfield (who came along much later). "Heartache" is a terrific power ballad. "Disease" is a fantastic dark heavy metal song with a large dose of the Dics brand of humor. And on it goes. About the only song I don't like is the cover of the Stooges' "Search and Destroy" -- not that it's bad, but when the original is perfect, there is nowhere to go but down.

After this album, the band realized that pandering to the masses wasn't the way to go, so they regrouped and came back with the terrific album "Bloodbrothers", and, after a mere 25-odd years, the brilliant follow-up "DFFD" (where Adny inexplicably changed his name to "Andy" -- geez, the things some people will do to get attention). But this album is not just for completists; it stands on its own. I hope the Dics will re-introduce some of these songs back into their live gigs -- there's lots to fun to be had here.

Producers Sandy Pearlman and Murray Krugman saw the nascent Blue Oyster Cult sound in the Dictators' voice and made "Manifest Destiny" parallel the early BOC discs. Thick, sludgy guitars, vocals back in the mix and heavy on the reverb. As a result, I really can't give this 5 stars due to the muddy production, but at the same time, this was the album that made me a Dictators fan for life! Why the Dic's haven't been put on the pantheon they deserve is beyond me, but with songs like "Science Gone Too Far" and their blistering cover of The Stooges' "Search And Destroy," they proved they could blast as well as their CBGB contemporaries of the period. And they were not without a sense of humor; just check out the opening lines of "Hey Boys" or Handsome Dick's monologue on "Disease." "Manifest Destiny" is a brilliant artifact of an era in American Music, and it's finally available at domestic prices. They followed it up with their masterpiece, "Bloodbrothers," and Sony has been kind enough to leave "Go Girl Crazy!" in print. My advice is get 'em all now and that includes the recent "DFFD" because it still smokes the competition.

This review is based on the overall product available for purchase here on Amazon.
So here's my story..."Sherman, set the way back machine!"....I bought this album on lp when it first came out back in 1977 based on a review I read in Circus magazine.
I was a junior in high school. Needless to say I would not be writing this review if I did not think The Dictators were the best band on the planet. I thought it then, I believe it now.
I promised myself when I bought my new car this year (we are now back in 2003), I would upgrade to a factory installed cd player. The first cd I was going to crank up was "Manifest Destiny", I was going to start with side 2 (which began with "Steppin' Out" on the lp, track 6 here). So I ordered this overpriced Japanese Import and got my new wheels about 2 weeks ago. I was psyched big time...and I was let down oh so very hard by the terrible, brutal, pillow over my speakers sound of this disc. The music deserves a 5 star rating if not even higher. Clapton is NOT God, but Ross is the BOSS. However, the sound quality is absolutely atrocious (more atrocious than my run on sentences). I give the sound quality, a negative 6, hence the 1 star rating. It sounds like the transfer was taken off an 8-track tape or normal bias cassette at best. There is no high end clarity or instrument separtation whatsoever. Like I said earlier, it literally sounds like someone put a pillow over your speakers. It sounded just as muddy on my indoor system too. I actually pulled out my old lp and it sounded 10 times better than this garbage. Why the Dictators can't get this remastered and put out in the good old USA is beyond me. So there you have it. Unless you absolutely must have this on cd, do not waste the Andrew Jackson plus you're going to spend here....

how come my reviews of manifest destiny by the dictators were not printed?

I have been waiting for this on CD, and it took me back to High School the moment it went in the CD player. Last time I heard these songs, it was Vinyl! Underated band, and this was always my favorite album they did. Man, if we could only go back to these days knowing what we know now! Great Nostalgic CD!!!!!

No sell-out here. Just flat out, in your face, New York City you talkin' to me, rock. Yes there are a few mellower tunes on this album, but when Ross The Boss let's his Les Paul rip, mellow goes right out the window. Plus, the Dictators mellower songs still are tinged with the melodies and lyrics that made the first album such a masterpiece. I'd like to use the term "more mature" than sellout. Plus, how anyone can call The Dictators version of "Search & Destroy" a sell-out is beyond me. I think the version recorded on this album even made Iggy put on some bandaids & button his fly. The only problem I have here is the sound. While the Wounded Bird release is a millions times better than the dreadfully brutal import version (see me review), it still lacks the sonic depth & punch this album deserves. Wounded Bird is not known for the sound quality of their reissues and it shows here. The highs are a little harsh, the bass a bit muddy, and you still get the feeling a high bias cassette tape was used for the mastering. I'm still waiting for the definitive remastered version of this album to be released. After typing this, I'm off to the Rhino Handmade website to suggest they work their magic on a box set of the first three Dictators albums. Now there's a box set any Dictators fan (or band member!) might drop a Ben Franklin for. Until then, if you are a Dictators fan, and you must be if you've made it this far, add this cd to cart ASAP. It is the best sounding cd release of this album available....for now.

I really can't give this 5 stars because of the muddy production, but at the same time, this was the album that made me a Dictators fan for life! Why the Dic's haven't been put on the pantheon they deserve is beyond me, but with songs like "Science Gone Too Far" and their blistering cover of The Stooges' "Search And Destroy," they proved they could blast as well as their CBGB contemporaries of the period. And they were not without a sense of humor; just check out the opening lines of "Hey Boys." "Manifest Destiny" is a brilliant artifact of an era in American Music, so naturally the only way to get it is through a Japanese import. Where is the justice?!? That they followed it up with thier masterpiece, "Bloodbrothers" (which you can buy for the not so inflated domestic price) gives alternatives to the uninitated, and Sony has been kind enough to leave "Go Girl Crazy!" in print. My advice is get 'em all now and that includes the recent "DFFD" because it still smokes the competition.

I really can't give this 5 stars because of the muddy production, but at the same time, this was the album that made me a Dictators fan for life! Why the Dic's haven't been put on the pantheon they deserve is beyond me, but with songs like "Science Gone Too Far" and their blistering cover of The Stooges' "Search And Destroy," they proved they could blast as well as their CBGB contemporaries of the period. And they were not without a sense of humor; just check out the opening lines of "Hey Boys." "Manifest Destiny" is a brilliant artifact of an era in American Music, so naturally the only way to get it is through a Japanese import. Where is the justice?!? That they followed it up with thier masterpiece, "Bloodbrothers" (which you can buy for the not so inflated domestic price) gives alternatives to the uninitated, and Sony has been kind enough to leave "Go Girl Crazy!" in print. My advice is get 'em all now and that includes the recent "DFFD" because it still smokes the competition.

anybody who thinks they know punk rock needs to listen to this record............anybody who thinks they know rock music needs to listen to this album.............anybody who has ever had any preconceptions about what the dictators are [were] like will be pleasently surprised. Hands down,it's one of the 3 or 4 best rock and roll albums of all time.

Although this record has the rep of being the weakest Dictators album, because of it's obvious more mainstream sound and approach, this is still no reason to skip this album over. With Richie Teeter joining on drums, Adny Shernoff switching to keyboards, and Twisted Sister's Mark 'the animal' Mendoza coming in on bass the band signed with Elekra and put this out in 1977. Starting off with Exposed and following up with Heartache, it's immedietly evident the band are trying something new. Filled with an arena rock production, it still doesn't take too much away from these would be stabs at blatent commercial balladry. Hey Boys, takes the same style, however Shernoff's trite trying so hard romantic lyrics are very hard to take seriously, almost making it seem like the band while trying to make a so called 'top ten' album, are also parodying the scene of bands like Foreigner and the like. Sleepin' With The TV on isnt as good as it's title might have you believe, yet hearing the Taters breeze through these kinda songs (along with Steppin' Out) is so entertaining, you might perhaps forget how angry you are at the sudden change of style. This is not a sell out album by any means as even when this band tries to sound commercial, they still remain the Dictators. The record isn't without it's highlights though, as four songs found here go on to become stone cold classics. Disease, and it's spoken word intro by the Handsome one has to be heard to be believed, and of course there's Science Gone Too Far! which is a classic piece of Dictator rock and roll, complete with awesome cowbell, and backing vocals(which is something the band does well here also), Young Fast and Scientific sometimes refered to by it's chorus lyric, is another great piece of heavy NY punk/metal, which gives is a glimpse of the kind of rock and roll the band would return to on their third album Bloodbrothers. The album wraps up with a blazing cover of The Stooge's Search & Destroy. So in the end, the four classics found here make this album worth having but the oddball commercial sounding experiments are so odd in fact that it makes them all worth hearing, at least once. As anything this band did was great - D.F.F.D.