Customer Reviews

Open Your Eyes

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I love Goldfinger. This is one band that is hard not to enjoy. Their songs explode with energy and get your adrenaline pumping. I've had a promo copy of OYE for about 2 months now, but unfortunetly, it really pales in comparison to their other efforts. Compare this one to Stomping Ground or the Self Titled and it really doesn't have a chance. This disc has a few good songs, but it ultimately winds up like their sophmore effort, Hang Ups. There is simply too much filler and mediocre songs. Unlike on Stomping Ground or the Self Titled, the filler tracks really bog the pace of the cd down, and in those moments, the cd really loses energy. However, its not a total washout, I just wish it could have been a little bit better. Here's a track by track analysis:

Going Home - Great way to kick off the cd, fast, heavy and rocking, only its too short 9/10

Spokesman - Best song on the disc besides Radio. Great lyrics and an undenible ring of truth 10/10

Open Your Eyes - A different turn for Goldfinger, but still a rocking good song 8/10

Decision - Poppy, but still infectious, good track 8/10

Dad - Here's when the cd starts to lose its energy. This one isn't bad, but its not as good as the others 6/10

Tell Me - Again, its not bad, but its got nothing to hold against the others 6/10

Liar - Completely useless, 19 seconds long 2/10

January - A good turn for the disc, it starts to pick up again with this softer, almost acoustic ballad 8/10

Happy - Back to rocking. A good shout along track that really injects the disc back with energy 9/10

Its Your Life - Where did the energy go? It just kinda faded after Happy 5/10

Woodchuck - Hilarious new metal satire, 51 seconds long. Its good, but it dosen't do much for the disc 7/10

Spankbank - Hmmmmm, Its strange, by the end it gets pretty good, but it isn't worth the wait 6/10

Youth - Again, barely any energy with this one... 5/10

Radio - A great track! Shout along chorus and catchy as heck riffs. Where was this track when we needed it? 10/10

FTN - hysterical, vulgar, and loaded with profanity. Its good for a laugh 7/10

So, in all, the disc isn't terrible, but in some places, it really lacks. If this disc just delieverd a little bit more, it would surely be in my picks for best of 2002. However, due to a bit too much filler, it just dosen't flow well. Maybe I just expect a bit too much from them...

When i first heard this CD was coming out i thought it would be a little more metal, but not at all. It is pop punk, or punk rock. They took the whole vegitarian thing a little too far, but it doesnt effect how good the music is. Its definatly official, goldfinger has no ska left in them, which kinda sucks. The Best songs are spokesman, descision, tell me, radio, and FTN. FTN is a really funny song that cusses about 50 times in a minute. Id say if you like any other goldfinger you'd like this too, even tho its slighty changed. You will also like this if you like Offspring, Green Day, or good charlotte. Overall this is a good, more mature sounding goldfinger CD.

Don't get me wrong, it has some good, catchy songs, but this is not the Goldfinger iv'e come to love. Some tracks, Spokesman for example, are great. There is too much anger though. The lyrics have become too political. Im all for singing about what you stand for, but I think they went overboard.

Overall, if you are a new listener, go for something else such as Hang Ups or their self titled CD. If you are a fan, get this, but dont expect anything spectacular.

Sidenote: Whats with all the hate against meat eaters?

1. Going Home - Good opening track. Catchy and energetic. 8/10
2. Spokesman - Really good song. Cool video on the CD too. 9/10
3. Open Your Eyes - There first single but it's only ok to me. 6.5/10
4. Decision - Catchy as hell. 9/10
5. Dad - The lyrics are touching but not very catchy. 6/10
6. Tell Me - The best song on the CD. This should and probably will be their next single. It's definitely more popish though. 10/10
7. Liar - Not really a song. n/a
8. January - Another really good song. Has a sing along chorus. 9/10
9. Happy - This song is pretty good. Not the greatest, but not bad. 8/10
10. Woodchuck - Another short "song" ala Goldfinger, but I like this one. n/a
11. It's Your Life - The lyrics make it sound like the members are more grownup. 7.5/10
12. Spank Bank - Catchy short song. n/a
13. Youth - Interesting b/c Kelly sings the opening of this one. 7.5/10
14. Radio - Great song with a chant-a-long chorus. This is one song that should get lots of radio play. 9.5/10
15. FTN - Lots of cussing so it's gotta be good. 8/10
16. Prank Phone Calls - some are pretty funny. 7/10
17. Wayne Gretzky - OMG, Darrin is a funny guy. 10/10

I've been a fan of Goldfinger for almost 6 years now (they are still my favorite band of all time), and i can honestly say that im not impressed at all with this cd. We know that Goldfinger is still capable of writing kick ass punk songs (going home, spokesman, dad {which is a change of style for them, but still cool} happy, radio, and FTN {the latter being older songs though}), but the rest of it just seems like they kinda stopped trying. i know that they werent trying to make the other songs punk per say, but lyrically and musically the songs just arent very good. im also sad that they have decided to stop writing ska songs. personally, i feel that ska/punk is their strong point (listen to hang ups or their s/t). All in all, 6 very very good songs surrounded by half decent alternative rock songs (except for maybe january, that song is decent).

This album is make or break for Goldfinger. They have lost a recording contract and founding guitarist in the last 2 years and despite Stomping Ground being their best album to date they have not managed to break into the main-stream like so many of their less worthy counterparts. Open your Eyes is their first release for their new label, Jive and if previous albums are to go buy it should have been the album of the year. Something has gone very wrong though. Open Your Eyes, Spokesman, Radio & FTN are all good trade mark Goldfinger songs, however the rest sound like they were all written in one night. Going Home sounds like a NOFX rip off and January is the worst song they have ever recorded. The sleave notes are full of John's (singer/guitarist) rantings about being a vegan, which is all very well, but he should have concentrated more on the music than the message. Hopefully this album won't destroy Jive's faith in them and they will let them prove with their next album that they are one of the best punk bands around.

Goldfinger is very pro social, vegitarians , no guns ,Dont like Ted Nugnet. It makes this album interesting but it was nothing specail for me. It provided time to pass by in the car but nothing else FTN was funny but crude in the same way , alot of the songs were this way.Happy is one of my favorite songs on the CD but in the backround the band goes du du du du du du which takes away from the song , i think. This is a good CD but dont expect a whole lot from it.

It is clear why the music style on Open Your Eyes differs, and is a bit harder, than previous Goldfinger albums. With the departure of Charlie, their former lead guitarist, so went some of the punk/ska style. Their current lead guitarist used to be in the band Unloco, which is more of a hard rock band. It's natural that with his hard rock influences that Goldfinger's music will follow suit. He brings a whole new side of creativity to the table. That being said, the album does have its moments. Woodchuck, though short and campy, exhibits that newly-found harder edge. Also, Radio helps bridge the gap between GF's new sound and old. In a sense, the songs do not feel sincere as a whole. It is as though the band wrote them in an effort to release something new and to provide new material to play live. Let's hope that the next GF album strives to provide the experience that late-90s GF albums did, even though their music style has evolved through the years.

This cd was not bad. Actually I have to disagree with the people who gave this cd only 1 star. It was pretty good...to a certain degree.

I love Goldfinger because they were able to be like a punk-rock band but always rose above all the ... pop-punk out there today such as Blink182, Sum41, and New Found Glory. They were able to get away with punk rock because they added ska and funk with it.

"Open Your Eyes" loses the old Goldfinger sound though. They went from the ska/punk/reggae/funk band to just punk rock. Although I did enjoy a lot of the songs on the cd, I couldn't help thinking I was listening to just another Blink182 or Sum41 band.

I was able to get through those thoughts and still realize that it is Goldfinger and that they are one of the best. But I do miss the old days when they were so much better.

I wouldn't exactly spend money on this cd. This is more of a cd you would download the songs from or just burn it from your friend.

After picking up their ST cd after hearing my buddies copy a million times I picked up Stomping Ground. Both were totally awsome discs. Then I picked up Hang-Ups after falling in love with Superman while playing Tony Hawk. Then I pick OYE. It was a total let-down and far too preachy with the vegan message. A few of the songs are worth picking up on the internet but all in all don't waste your money.