Customer Reviews

One Man Revolution

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

On the heels of Audioslave's final album "Revelations," (2006) guitarist Tom Morello is back with his first solo album, "One Man Revolution" (2007) under the moniker "The Watchman."

"One Man Revolution" is kind of like Morello's own "Ghost of Tom Joad" (1995). Sounding nothing at all like Rage Against the Machine or Audioslave, "One Man Revolution" is an acoustic and semi-acoustic album, with RATM-like themes addressing injustice and inequality. It's a sort of loosely based concept album, with Morello playing the role of "The Watchman," who in Morello's words is a "black Robin Hood."

While the album is rather laid-back, it still manages to pack a good punch. Morello's rough baritone voice can carry a tune and he's really into his character. While political concept albums can sometimes come across as preachy or naïve, this isn't really a problem here. Lyrically, Morello strikes a good balance, avoiding sounding simplistic on one hand, or a full-of himself, know-it-all on the other.

"One Man Revolution" has a very organic, home-made feel, as Morello plays every instrument, with the help of producer Brendan O'Brien. And while "One Man Revolution" is pretty straight-forward, Morello manages to throw out some interesting curve-balls, like the Celtic sounding "The Road I Must Travel."

If you're expecting something like RATM or Audioslave, you may be disappointed with "One Man Revolution." However, if you want to hear something a little different from Morello, check with album out.

I have to be honest, I really wasn't expecting to like this album, even after hearing "The Road I Must Travel" for the first time. I love Tom Morello, don't get me wrong, but something just seemed strange to me having him doing a solo album. I was a little concerned about how his voice would sound considering he is not a singer, and secondly I love Morello's crazy riffs and solos. I mean thats what he is known for and what makes him so incredible. To my surprise, this album has grown on me and is quite good, if you take it for what is. His voice is what really surprised me. I've heard him speak many times and I didn't expect his singing voice to sound this good. Don't get me wrong, he won't even be in league with the great singers of our generation, but his voice really suits the music quite well actually.

If anything, this album shows the Morello is not a one trick pony. Not only can he make good acoustic music that sounds nothing even remotely similiar to RATM or Audislave. But it also shows that he can write compelling music. I think the most intriging aspect of the album is the lyrics themselves. Some of it might be mildly repetitive and I think some of the album could of used a little more diversity in how it sounds overall, but other than that its a very good, solid album. This really is not my kind of music, yet Morello makes it interesting. I think the only question left to me is, "Can one man really be a revolution?"

Tom Morello aka:THE NIGHTWATCHMAN's debut solo album "One Man Revolution" is a folk/protest music masterpiece! I read in rollingstone magazine a few weeks back that Tom Morello has come out with a solo album full of folk/protest songs and as a huge RATM fan and folk musician/fan myself I was stoked about the very idea. I imediately went to my local music store and picked it up(it hasn't left my cd player since). If your a fan of Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Billy Bragg and the great un-heard Patrick Fitzgerald then your gonna love this album. If you care at all about the state of society/government and feel alone in your want and need for change in this dark grey world then your gonna love this album. If your not blind and can see that uncle sam is fooling you with fear and materialism to prime you up for much darker things to come then your gonna love this album. If you don't care about any of these things and your happy to be stuck in your way, don't really care for the message in music and think your government is spending billions apon billions of hard earned tax payers dollars on a neverending war just to keep you safe and free then don't even bother with this album. Go fill up the tank in your nice new SUV and throw something useless into your cd player and continue to be oblivious to what's truly going on in the world around you.

And thats not really a bad thing. One thing is for sure, If you are looking for an extension of Rage or the far inferior Audioslave, you have come to the wrong place. This is far more Dylan and Woody Guthrie than it is pounding rock beats.
Personally I think this is the music that our generation has been waiting for. Falling firmly into that tricky Genre of "protest music", this actually comes off as Genuine. Much of the protest music for our generation, such as Green Day, feels like an old artist trying to stay cool and relevant. Morello's new album feels the opposite. In fact, he has almost guaranteed himself no airplay and low album sales. This is very unsubtle, we need to change the world music. But its greatest strenght is that he has rediscovered the idea that made Dylan and Guthrie so good. Dont spend all of your time pointing fingers at who has done bad by you. Instead, he tells the people to stand up and fight for the wrongs of the world. Open your eyes, get up and change the world. Good job Tom.

Coming from a folk music fan point of view, the album is ok (3 stars). Coming from a Rage Against The Machine fans and Audioslave fans point of view that want to add an acoustic album to their collection, it is very good (4 stars). Coming from a left wing liberals point of view, it makes you want to grab a sign and start marching (5 stars). Coming from a folk music fan, Rage Against The Machine fan, Audioslave fan, left wing liberal, it is exactly what you need/want to hear (7 stars? lol). It took me 2 thorough listens before I got used to Morello's story-teling type voice. An ok Johnny Cash, meets a sandpaper Bruce Springsteen, meets Bob Dylan sums up his voice. His lyrics are as powerful as any RATM song, the guitar playing is extremely melodic and to a point hypnotic, and his passion becomes palpable the more and more you listen to it. If you enjoy Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, or even Neil Young you will find this CD a welcome addition to your library and will hold very good replay value. If you want an above decent album (especially with the lack of good albums lately) that is worth your money, buy it and give it time to sink in on you, you won't regret it.

First off let me say that if you are strictly a fan of heavier rock, then you will most likely be dissapointed by this album.

That being said I'll do my little review. Tom Morello has broken away from the electric, effects laden riffs of his Rage and Audioslave days. Here he focuses on the lyrics and his message, and backs it up with bare-bones music. For the most part you are going to get Tom's voice, and Tom's acoustic guitar. However there are a few exceptions.

I feel that Morello wanted this album to be more about his political views, and the things he sees wrong with the world. And it sounds to me like he wanted to target a different audience than the Rage crowd. Maybe he wanted the people who would never listen to Rage to hear his views, and maybe open up their minds to a different way of thinking. And if that was his plan he executed it perfectly.

Now don't get me wrong, the album is far from perfect. But it works for me because when it comes to "political music" the lyrics are the most important thing to me, and its obvious that this is what he spent the most time on.

It seems that many of these so called "Rage Against The Machine" fans are a little upset that Tom Morello, the searing and amazing guitarist for said band has decided to release a solo album, playing only acoustic guitar protest songs and singing over them in a sort of Dylan/Cash/Springsteen way.
Why? Because he isn't pummeling ear drums with Earth Shattering chords and sounds created via Electric Guitar? Grow up...

Rage Against The Machine was never about "how hard can we get", but rather the message, which seems to get lost in between all the angst filled and "the heavier the better, the more we will rebel" kids of our generation.
It was all about the message, which in my opinion is largely lost among our force fed MTV high consumerism society.
These ain't pop songs kiddies...

I remember in High School, all the kids reveled over "Killing in the Name", mostly due to Zach's freak out at the end of the song. AS if these kids really know anything about what Zach is portraying. All they hear is swear words and lyrics of rebellion, heavy rap/metal and all of a sudden they think their rebels?

Sorry kids, but Tom Morello's One Man Revolution bears the same heaviness and raw grit as did all of Rage Against The Machines albums.
Heaviness and raw grit is a state of mind and more of a feeling than a presence and a sound. Personally, I feel that One Man Revolution hits as hard as anything RATM has ever done.

Each song features Tom's Gruff voice croon about freedom and revolution (what else?), and his guitar, while played only on acoustic, is amazing nonetheless. There are some deep and meaningful lyrics are written by Tom himself. Lyrics no doubt come from the heart.
And the guitar is soft, soothing yet fierce in its intention. One Man revolution reminded me of why I feel that Tom Morello is one of the BEST guitar players alive.

The album comes off as a folk/country sort of feel, but this ain't your daddy's folk! This music could spark a revolution and then some.

I'm coming from a deep appreciation of folk/countrified music and I also happen be a RATM fan who thinks Tom Morello is one of the greatest living electric guitar players. Needless to say, I was pretty enthusiastic to hear this.

Tom's got a great voice for this type of music. The songwriting is as fiery and militant as Zach De La Rocha's was for Rage. Common reference points include the usual folk icons (Billy Bragg, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen) and, most surprisingly, Warren Zevon, especially on "The Road I Must Travel," easily the album's strongest cut.

I've never thought it was a crime to make original music wearing your influences on your sleeve, so I don't hold that against Morello. There are substantial problems, though. First and foremost, the songwriting is generally simple and often goes for the wincingly easy rhyme. Subject matter is straightforward, focused on the Revolution to the expense of complexity. Conversely, the production is slick and cluttered, better suited to something like Audioslave than singer-songwriter material. My final beef is that Morello's status as "guitar god" is nowhere to be discerned, with very little flourish to his sparce acoustic playing.

I don't think I'd be able to give a wholehearted recommendation to One Man Revolution for a folkie who wasn't already a Morello fan. It's a decent, promising album that suggests Morello might have a future as The Nightwatchman. Maybe a couple of songwriting clinics and a more stripped-down approach to the music might make his second solo venture a classic. This one might be perfect, though, for a Morello fan who didn't already know he or she were a folkie, though...

`One Man Revolution' is the first acoustic folk album from Tom Morello and it offers us some of the intelligent, politically pertinent lyrics Rage Against the Machine is known for, but with less aggression and a more subdued feel. Morello's voice reminds me of both Johnny Cash and Mark Knopfler at times, he has a deep throated growl that you often aren't aware of when he plays guitar with RATM. His guitar playing is just as impressive here as with his other bands, but maybe with more nuance and a deft touch. The trick with this album is to sit back and enjoy the music for what it is, rather than analysing the lyrics and trying to glean a message from it; a message is definitely there but it doesn't need to be sought after to be enjoyed. Stand out tracks for me were `The Garden of Gethsemane' and `Until the End', but to be honest all the songs are of an equally high standard and if you enjoy one, it is a safe bet you will enjoy them all. Whilst this is a departure from the heavier style Morello plays with RATM and Audioslave, this still is top quality song writing at it's best and if the previous bands are too aggressive for your tastes, then this may well be an opening for you to enjoy Morello's quality musicianship. Modern political folk at its very best.

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You might think of this as the warmup for _The Fabled City_. You get Morello's acoustic guitar and semi-sung semi-chanted lyrics. Both are decent enough, but there really aren't any standouts. He just seems too angry about politics and social justice to write a decent song at this point (neither are a bad topic for a song, but they don't make up for uninspired music).

So my advice would be to buy _Fabled City_ (I can recommend that without any hesitation), and if you really like that then you can get this knowing that almost every song on here is like "Midnight in the City of Destruction" with nothing like "Saint Isabelle" to vary things up, and certainly no "Iron Wheel"s or "King of Hell"s.