Customer Reviews

Mission: Control!

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I bought this record based on all the good reviews I heard from friends. After the first listen, mostly unpleasant thoughts ran through my mind. After the second and third listen, however, I was hooked.

This is NOT record of J. Robbins the Jawbox hero, but that of J. Robbins the super-producer. It has the same self-destructive, yet beautifully melodic sound of Jawbox, but adds a pop-rock feel into it's already interesting musical stew. Songs like "Wheaton Calling" are totally radio-friendly, but will NEVER get airplay due to the albums creative use of time signatures and melodies.

"Scissoring" is one of the best examples of this. The song is filled with an interesting use of guitar harmonics, Bill Barbot's tight bass playing, and a killer riff-filled second half. Modern radio will never embrace it, though, and I guess that's a GOOD thing.

While every track is worth it's weight in gold, the standout tracks remain the crazy opener "Carnival," the wonderfully weird "Crowned," the ultra-catchy "The Escape Engine," and the wonderful epic "3 Sisters." Also check out "pacific 231" for pure musical ability. Pete Moffett is a monsterous drummer, and he, J. and Bill show us how it's done on that track.

All in all, Mission: Control! was a wonderful surprise. If you like infectious punk-pop that is totally refreshing from the norm, pick this up. You will be pleasantly surprised.

Burning Airlines's debut album Mission:Control is an extremely impressive album - it is innovative and unique, and in the same time it works as a classic rock album.

I have never heard anything by any of the band members in their former enterprises, but the album stands very well on its own. The singing, guitars, drums, etc, are all first rate, but it is the song writing that makes this album truely unique, as far as I'm concerned.

Songs like Carnival or Wheaton Calling demonstrate rock song writing at its best - singing about 'the gap between love and pornography' shows that the Band know their Punk background, but can ascend it. Tthey can also write the fast, creepy choruses of Alternative music ' Repeat * 10, you're happy again, sinking where you lay' is cynical and funny at the same time.

The Alternative Pop elements are there - you have to love the way they sing/scream 'Crowding the Candy Corona-TION' in Crowned.

The mere ability to say some of these lyrics deserves an award, let alone singing them 'The taste of bitter fictions, the ring of contradictions that sing to me' is among the easier ones, but a favorite of mine.

This album is filled with great songs, from the fast Carnival to the fun of crowned through slow, beautiful melodies of songs such as '3 Sisters'. It also has some cool bits from Orson Well's take of Kafka's The Trial, which are humerous in a dark, rock'n'roll way - it almost feels like an injoke.

Only rarely do I find a band whose stuff I really like, and they're often long gone before I notice them... but I fell in love with 'Burning Airlines'... and I'm gonna wait for the next album... and for a tour somewhere close :-)

Jawbox fans will enjoy. Imagine if XTC were an angrier, heavier, noisier band. "Identikit" is just a hair better than "Mission: Control."

In a perfect world this band would be a household name! Every track on this record is phenomenal. This is no three chord rock band; these guys throw technicality into their unique rythms, but it does not distract from the emotion. It is a damn shame that groups like this go unnoticed while talentless bands are making it big everyday.
The first song "Carnival" is worth the price of admission alone. Every song that follows somehow manages to be as good (if not better)than the previous track. Each song has a different feel too, which prevents the listener from growing bored. Since you will never hear this stuff on the radio, you will likely be the only one in town lucky enough to have these songs.

Good stuff from them. Keeps the Jawbox flame alive while forging their own identity.

Lyrics are extreemly important. Aside from having some of the most refreshingly original lyrics I've heard in a while, BURNING AIRLINES also rocks. A nice tight package of all good things makes this disc crackle with what I like to call "the stuff." All songs are very well put together and these dudes are enjoying kicking it. Ah, talented musicians rocking like a mo-fo, that's nice. Modern music afficianados- we have liftoff.

I try not to compare new albums to an artist's previous stuff because it's far too easy to get into that "they used to be" mentality, and I think that sort of robs me of my ability to judge something fairly.

That being said, I really dig "Mission: Control!" I play it a lot and have yet to get sick of it, if you can believe that. The lead singers voice really fits the songs lyrics. The guitar work has allready been commented on enough in the other reviews so I won't bother. This is one of those albums that you might have to listen to a few times before really being able to appreciate it; especially if you're expecting something similar to Jawbox. Don't let that detour you, though -- just do what I do: fire up Napster, find some of their songs (I recommend "Escape Engine" or "3 Sisters"), give it a few listens, and if you like it, hey, pick it up!

I bought this album because the band Shiner told me to. I thanked them and said, "Please Shiner, may I have another?" In return I'd like to show my appreciation to them by commanding you to go buy some Shiner albums. Go on. Shoo.

i find this album curiously addicting. i usually prefer my music a little weirder or harder than this, but for some reason, i can't get this out of my CD player. this is the debut release by ex-jawbox members. this CD is an excellent display of pop songcraft, and the musicians are all excellent. they're not particularly flashy or impressive on the first listen, but after a few spins, you begin to realize how minimally complex the playing really is. it may not be over the top, but this band is dead on tight. the drums are intricate without being flashy and the bass holds everything together like a tightly woven fishing net. the guitar provides the perfect counter-point to the rhythm section. however, the real strength of this band is the vocals. j. robbins is an incredible melodic singer, his voice is strong and powerful, and right on the money. you can tell he really gets into the music. the melodic hooks on this album are skillfully woven into the texture so they're not too obvious, but they definately grab you and bring you in. this band is also really great live, check them out if you get the oppportunity. overall, this CD is an excellent example of great minimal guitar-based pop songwriting.

This album opens with a ferocious guitar riff that I'd never suspect Jawbox or Burning Airlines capable of. After the initial eruption, "Mission: Control!" settles into a charming, quirky pop-rock groove. At first, I was initially disappointed, as the album seemed to be an extension of Jawbox's final studio album, which showcased a less abrasive, more melodic side, and did so, in my own humble opinion, suckily. Convinced that Burning Airlines was heading down the punk-goes-AOR road that the Goo Goo Dolls and Gaunt were all too happy to go down, and were never going to return to the glory days of Jawbox's "For Your Own Special Sweetheart," I thought I was going to have an overall negative impression of this album. Wrong, wrong, wrong! Here Robbins and Barbot take the melodicism of late period Jawbox, and add a fun new wave-y element. And know what? It works. You can dance to Burning Airlines! It's hard to dance to Jawbox. Believe me, I tried. So, basically, there's no return the "Dischord" sound here, and surprisingly, that makes me happy.Burning Airlines are catchy enough to place among Blink 182 and TLC on Total Request Live, but are sophisticated enough to insure that they never will.

I thought the cd was fabulous. Jay has a killer voice and I was so very happy that he continued on after Jawbox. The drums and bass are consistent and Jays style of guitar is right on.