For My Friends

Blind Melon | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 22, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Adrenaline Records
• ASIN: B0014DBZRY
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #124,908 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A worthy entry into the Blind Melon Canon, June 11, 2008

By 

J. D. Weeks "jaberwoq" (Paeonian Springs, Virginia USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: For My Friends (Audio CD)

Facing an uphill battle by coming back after 12 years (and with a new and much younger singer and frontman!) it's kind of amazing this album isn't the disaster it had every right to be. In fact, it's a reason to have real hope about the band's future. New singer Travis Warren sounds enough like Shannon Hoon that the band's sound is still recognizable, but not so much so that he sounds like a cheap imitation. His range is similar to Hoon's but his vocals tend to be a little rougher and perhaps a bit more structured. Not a bad thing; he may lack the wild-eyed soul which made Hoon perfect for the job, but when the songwriting really comes together on the new album, Travis's vocals can really shine. Remember, too, that Blind Melon was always a group effort. Shannon may have been the singer but as a songwriter he was merely part of the creative process. The rest of the band proves their worth by playing their hearts out, really putting forth an outstanding musical collaboration.

This is not to say that the album is perfect. It's actually closest in tone, probably, to the original Blind Melon album, with a few standout tracks, and a bunch of interesting but not-quite-there numbers. "Wishing Well" comes across pretty strong, as do tunes like "Father Time" (featuring a nicely evocative guitar lines) "Make a Difference" "Last Laugh" and the wonderful but atypical "Sometimes". Other songs, ("Tumblin' Down", "Harmful Belly") have some nice parts but ultimately come across as kind of meandering, without real solid pop hooks and melody. Like the first Blind Melon disc, this one tends to rely too heavily on mid-tempo Zepplin-esque rockers, and suffers for it in a way which the more diverse "Soup" and "Nico" don't (nothing like tense, mostly acoustic "mouthful of cavities" or even weirdo cannibal ode "Skinned" to be found here). More troubling, the lyrics here are often a bit on the weak side. They can tend towards being something which Blind Melon never was before, and should never be: literal.

Still, ultimately the CD plays like the start of something really cool. If it has it's flaws, they're probably the result of a band overjoyed at being given a second lease on life, and still trying to shake off the rust and get back in the groove. It's not a home run, but I think it qualifies as a solid base hit to prove to the naysayers that Blind Melon definitely deserves a second chance.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Long Awaited Return..., April 22, 2008

By 

J. Herndon "The Fantastic Circus" (Tyler, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: For My Friends (Audio CD)

Like Soup, this album will continue to grow on you. I actually got it Friday at the Dallas stop on Blind Melon's tour and have been listening to it ever since. It gets better with each listen. I have to say, after the show the other night, which was completely amazing, I got to meet the band and talk with them for quiet a while and they are all completely genuine and it really shows in the music. They do care about the fans and their old friend Shannon.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally!, April 22, 2008

By 

M. Beaver (Keller, Texas United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: For My Friends (Audio CD)

Finally new material from one of my favorite bands Blind Melon. From start to finish this album is excellent, this is one of those albums you listen to from start to finish without skipping over tracks.

I was fortunate enough to see Blind Melon in concert in Dallas and I was absolutely blown away by their performance. The band hasn't changed one bit since the passing of Shannon Hoon, and with the adding of Travis T. Warren on vocals the band is better than ever! Though Travis cannot take Shannon's place he does an amazing job on vocals, I was very pleased.

If you're an old fan and are skeptical about a new guy taking Shannon's place, I urge you to pick up this album... you will be blown away.