Customer Reviews

New American Shame

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is very rare music by today's standards. Not many bands play such in your face rock. The only commercialy viewable rock bands today are Limp Bizkit and Korn. But New American Shame are different. They don't need to blend rap in their music because they don't need to be popular. All they care about is pissed off, in your face ROCK! It's not a perfect cd, some songs fall a bit flat, and the dude's voice can get a tad annoying sometimes, but the guitar is excellent, it reminds me of old school Motley Crue. These guys know how to write some good songs. Under It All, Broken Bones, Down in the Valley and American Shame among others. These guys are a breath of fresh air to the music world simply because there are so many Fred Dursts and Britney Spears's out there, and these guys are doing their own thing. If you like these guys, get Buckcherry's album, Union's new album "The Blue Room", and the Black Crowes. BOOYA!!!

As a lifelong fan of hard guitar music, having cut my teeth on KISS in 1974 and living through every incarnation of hard rock since, I had nearly surrendered. I had determined that junk metal like Korn and Linkin Park was all we were ever going to get. The labels had finally won. Talent no longer mattered. Attitude was replaced by corporate blandness. True rock and roll fans were being phased out like Betamax machines.

Then I stumbled across these guys.

OK, so they look like Everclear...Salvation Army clothes and buzzcuts. One listen and my foot started tapping. By the second track I was gazing at my speakers wondering if I was really hearing what I thought I was hearing. And these were the 30 second samples. I had to get this CD.

This is what Nickelback wants to be. They'll never be this good though. NAS has restored my faith that yes indeed, some of our nephews and kid brothers' friends were actually listening to real rock and roll. Strong vocals, driving rhythm, and chainsaw guitars to spare. The lyrics are clever enough and at times predictable enough. If I want Shakespeare I'll read a book. If I want to be entertained I want something like this CD. I won't try to say who they "sound like" because every review I've seen of this CD that tried missed by a mile. It's gonna make you smile, it's gonna rock your speakers, and it's gonna get stuck in your head.

Rock and roll is not a political forum. It is not the place to preach global warming nonsense or rail against the president. Rock and roll was always meant to be one thing, first and foremost, over everything else. It was meant to be fun. This disc is fun. It's fun like your high school dances (and more likely, the escapades that followed) were fun. It's fun like 80mph in a Mustang convertible is fun. It's fun like sneaking out of the job at noon to catch the football bowl game at Hooter's is fun. You get the idea.

There are precious few bands left that still understand what rock and roll is meant to be. This was one of them. Probably why they never made much of a splash. Label was too busy making Ashlee Simpson a one hit nobody to realize what music fans really want. In that respect, nothing has ever really changed. So I'd advise anybody who likes good music with some edge and attitude to get this while you can. You won't be disappointed.

I bought this CD after seeing the band open for the newly reformed Cult at Avalon in Boston. I'm pretty jaded after 20 years of concert-going and it takes a lot to impress me, but this band completely rocked the house. The vocalist has a particularly good, clear delivery (though he sounds quite a bit like Vince Neil of Motley Crue, which is not necessarily a bad thing). I was a little disappointed that the CD sounds a little too smooth and "produced" and thus didn't have quite the raw energy of the live show (often the case), but it comes close enough.

Have you ever daydreamed about life as a Hell's Angel? Have you ever wanted to hop on a Harley without a helmet, rev the engine and trek across the country's backroads with the wind ripping through your shoulder-length locks? If "Live To Ride, Ride To Live" is your motto, then New American Shame is your soundtrack. The gasoline-drenched vocals of Johnny Reidt might have been ripped from vintage AOR airwaves, but they're set ablaze here and aided by New American Shame's sweltering chops and torrid guitar solos. Though the band sounds like the bastard child of German metal warlocks the Scorpions and Southern rock 'n' boogie kingpins the Black Crowes, Reidt and his boys have somehow breathed new life into arena rock. These easy riders are armed with the type of foot-stomping anthems that many of today's so-called "rock" bands sorely lack.

Amy Sciarretto

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New American Shame are a great new band out of Seattle and their self titled debut album truly ROCKS! This cd quickly became one of my favorites after I purchased it. At first the only reason I bought it was because it was cheap and I liked the first single "Under it All". However, when I listened to it for the first time I was blown away by the energy and intensity New American Shame rock with on this cd. Jimmy Paulson's solos are increadible and the vocals are great. If you like true hard rock, then you'll love this cd!

Being from Ohio, I had never heard of New American Shame until I read a review in "Metal Edge." I was intrigued by the description and decided to buy the CD with a gift certificate I got for Christmas--and I'd have gladly shelled out $16 for it. The band reminds me of the best of 80's metal--the really hard stuff that rocked arenas. However, I can hear influences of grunge in the guitar work, which is very accomplished for a band from Seattle (a stereotype, I know, but valid considering what's come out of there before). The best thing about this record is the somewhat Southern sound it has--more like these guys came from Alabama than Washington state. Hey, the sticker on the album wrapper says it all: "Rock isn't dead, just buy the damn album!"

I have been listening to rock music since 1975. I was a teenager during the 80's and the heavy metal/hairband explosion so I have seen a lot of "rock" bands come and go. NAS have got "IT". They have the sound, talent, energy and attitude to sell lots of records. So to answer my question,"help me understand", how in the world do bands like this make 1 album and never make it big, while all these "cookie cutter" grunge spinoff bands sell albums and get radio play? There is soooo much trash out there today. These guys put together an awesome album that reeks of guitars and attitude but all the while, it doesnt get too hard, too fast, too melodic, or too anything. Its just right for rock n' roll. I have bought probably 25 cd's from amazon in the last year and there are about 5 that I always have in my 6 disc changer and this is one of them. Also, some music sounds better the louder you listen to it and this one of them. Kind of like AC/DC, who get criticized for not being technical enough , or too simple lyrically, or too whatever, but EVERYBODY listens to them. Put this cd in, crank it up (or buy a new system that sounds good enough to crank up), and head down the road. You will have no choice but to sing along (the chorus' are catchy enough), tap your foot (the beat hits just where its supposed to), and play air guitar (crunchy and smoothly blended hooks). Rock n' Roll is supposed to make you feel good. Thats what this cd does for me evertime I listen to it. Too bad these guys disbanded and didnt make anymore albums. I did see where they reunited in 2010 to play a live show somewhere. Hey NAS, if your out there, come back, rock needs you guys. Please give us more of the same, to make one record like this and stop is definitely a "New American Shame"......

IT ROCKS. Kind of refreshing to hear a new band that can put out music like this. New American Shame has my vote for best band in 99

This CD is incredible! The screaming guitar! The intensity! True rock is back and its name is New American Shame

To say this CD rocks is an understatement. This CD will kick your butt. The guitar blasts right down into your soul. It kills me that this is the only CD this band made before breaking up. Unfortunately they came around at a time when rap-rock was coming into fashion and no one was listening. If you like bluesy hard rock in the vein of Crue, G n' R or Cinderella, buy this CD, you will not be disappointed. Everytime I listen to New American Shame I spend the rest of the day singing the songs. Down in the Valley, New American Shame and Rather Be Rich are a few of the best.