Customer Reviews

Reactionary

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Amazing. An absolutely amazing record.

With Ignorance is Bliss, face to face unshackled themselves from the conventional three-chord structure of most punk bands and created a record which surprised their fans. The fans who understood artistic direction were pleasantly taken aback and appreciated the record, while those who were looking for another release of energized punk were somewhat left out in the cold, resulting in its somewhat mixed reviews.

With Reactionary, though, the band continues with their songwriting evidenced in Ignorance to return with a faster tempo. With songs like "Out of Focus" and "Icons", the typical punk rocker will be hard pressed to say that there aren't any fast songs on this record, and those fans that appreciate introspective lyrics will delight in "Best Defense" and "Hollow". Trever Keith's and Chad Yaro's guitars attack the notes and blend them in those uncanny, catchy f2f arrangements. Scott Shiflett's bass playing sounds round and full, and Pete Parada's drumming is the best ever recorded.

This record is not only the result of face to face's hard work in the studio, but the FANS as well. This record was originally recorded and finished back in January/February, and, in a fresh approach to assembling the album, the band posted the songs on the web. They then asked their online community of fans to vote on what songs should appear on the album with the 12 songs most voted on appearing here. As it is usually with face to face, the band never fails to include its fans in each and every project they do.

This is a fantastic album, and I absolutely recommend it without reservation.

face to face is the greatest punk band. typical face to face, this album shows that punk need not be static nor obnoxious. in the tradition of the amazing dont turn away, provocative self titled, and ground breaking and prolific ignorance is bliss they deftly create an upbeat and intelligent album. those with lower IQ's and bad taste who did not understand or like "ignorance is bliss" are missing the point if they think they understand this one. face to face has style and strength, and as a band contiues to get better and better and better. thank God they have this line up; trever, scott, pete, and chad are what face to face was meant to be all along! I give it FIVE SHINY STARS!

Face To Face has once again ripped out another album full of songs in their known style of intense punk rock. This CD does not disappoint in any way, and I would rate it above all their other albums except maybe their Self Titled. The band seems to have discovered the perfect medium between the way they sounded on "Don't Turn Away," and the way the sounded on "Face To Face." Leaving most any traces of "Ignorance Is Bliss," completely in the past, which is where it should stay as far as I'm concerned. There are plenty of great songs on here, and I highly recommend this CD to fans of real punk. And if you unfortunately have been brainwashed by the radio into thinking that Blink 182-ish stuff is what I mean by PUNK....then I encourage you to buy this CD(or albums by the many punk bands I review) to see what punk rock really is all about. Killer tracks are "Disappointed," "What's In A Name," "You Could've Had Everything," "Hollow," and "Solitaire."

I am a big Face To Face fan but I must say that I am usually not quick to judge CDs. However, from the first moment I put this in my CD player I enjoyed it. While "Reactionary" doesn't go as experimental as it's predecessor "Ignorance Is Bliss", it surely does carry a complexity of its own. It is much more similar to the band's 1996 self-titled release, however, carries it's own unique influences that make it one very good CD. This album is not typical "pop-punk." It's "pop-punk" with a brilliant flare. I would recommend this for any punk or alt-rock listener, be it a casual or hardcore one.

Face to Face has done it again. This album is is amazing. It has all the unstoppable energy that you have come to expect from Face to Face. The songs are melodic and speedy; the lyrics are both thought provoking and inspiring. Face to Face never failed to deliver before, and this album is no different. If you like melodic, energized, basically GOOD music, you'll love this album.

If there was any question that face to face is the best band around, this album puts it to rest. This album was chosen by the fans, and the result is a wonderful mixture of energized songs with the same fervor as Dont Turn Away and Ignorance Is Bliss. Face to Face never stops growing and never ceases to amaze me. Anyhow, I'd purchase this album as Amazon has it listed for the best price I have seen. If you don't like this album you should just give up. Go howl at the moon or something, but stop whining here. Whats it up to now, SIX bogus write ups? p.s. Lycanthropy is as real as a Parker Brothers Ouija board.

Face to Face is an awesome punk band but they are also very diverse, which may or may not be a good thing. They have run the gamut of styles and side projects throughout their history. Some people like them for some aspects or albums more than others but IMHO this band is truly at their best when they are clean, hard, and fast. Reactionary takes its place with Big Choice as the two must-have albums showcasing this band's best moments. Reactionary is nonstop from the very first cut, the cleanest most aggressive and yet emotional punk album I have ever heard. Every song contains the spirit of jilted anger or resentment or impunity that makes you want to tear your heart out while at the same time propelling you with the fury and energy that only these guys can deliver. This album stayed in my cd player for over a year while I got over a breakup, this band and this album resurrected my life! After listening to it religiously I bought the follow up "How to Ruin Everything" and was TOTALLY disappointed. I don't know where they were going with that one.

Big Choice and Reactionary are peas in a pod. If you cannot afford or don't care to collect every album of every artist, Reactionary is a keeper. All the other albums are too experimental, too raw or arrived before the band's sound and talent matured. . .

Thumbs WAY up!

I'm glad to see Face to Face go back to their roots. This CD has the energy and style that most Face to Face fans are accustomed too. The album to me, seems to be a cross between Don't Turn Away and their self titled album, which makes it great, and full of energy and style that makes Face to Face who they are

Face to Face has successfully re-emerged from the disastrous "Ignorance is Bliss." An excellent album, the tone is very similar to that of their self-titled album. For those who enjoyed that album, this one is definitely what you're looking for.

The only thing that keeps critics from rating F2F's newer albums (minus Ignorance, of course) with "Don't turn away" is nostalgia. Get over it.

The album is strong all the way through--the highlights, though, are "Hollow" "Just Like You Said" and "Solitaire." And what else can you say about "Disappointed?" It's KROQ's third most requested song right now, seemingly their highest approval since "Disconnected."

This is a CD which I enjoy listening to a lot, yet at times it just seems slighly off. While some songs on the CD are nearly prefect the entire way through (Disappointed, Out of Focus, Hollow, Solitaire) some songs leave more to be desired. While the fact that this CD is in many ways a cross between Ignorance Is Bliss and F2F's earlier albums adds to the bands sound, it can also take be a detriment to their music. Some parts are too mature and catchy (the chorus to Best Defense and Shame On Me). After listening to the CD several times, these parts begin to sound more and more overdone. All in all this is a great CD, but if F2F could have sustained the quality of songs such as Out of Focus and Hollow throughout the CD, it could have easily been a masterpiece. At this point, I'd rate it behind Face to Face's first three studio albums and ahead of Ignorance Is Bliss.