Customer Reviews

Reality's Coming Through

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

 

 

four records into their career, hot rod circuit are at an odd place. never ones to be lumped in with the nu-emo craze of the early 21st century, they've found themselves forced to make some sort of choice in the direction they choose to go with their sound. their first two records were great because they stood out amongst their peers. you must figure that they were touring the country with bands like new found glory, jimmy eat world and the juliana theory right around y2k, bands who would help usher in a new phenomenon in teenage pop culture (disagree with me? look around the local high school or college, and check out all the kids with band pins all over their messanger bags with spock haircuts and tight girls pants). the irony in this is that these bands never meant to usher in this new era. while many of those other bands from around that time period have become reluctant icons to legions of teens and young adults, hot rod circuit has been seemingly left in the dust. sure, they made the leap onto a larger quasi-indie label in vagrant records (long story) but they're still opening shows for younger, inferior bands. sorry about tomorrow was probably their big hope at making a record that would resonate with the kiddies, but it suffered from poor production. 2 years later they offer us reality's coming through, which is an odd record in that it's not so much bad is it suffers from a lack of continuity. i will say that i don't like the single, save you, but other than that, the tracks are all decent at worst, with a few standouts. there is even a song that charts some new territory for hrc (the best you ever knew). the record only gets 3 stars though for it's lack of continuity as previously mentioned as well for what else it's missing: passionate emotion and dynamics (if i knew now...) and/or furious energy (if it's cool...). hopefully somewhere along the line hot rod can find a new direction.

i dont understand why people hated this album so much. I myself thought it was very exceptional and i really enjoyed it. To be honest, i don't feel that it sounds much different from there previous releases, well at least not as much people make it sound. It's not like they COMPLETELY converted to a new music genre. There are a couple tracks that bore me, but there are some really awesome tunes on here. THese guys are incredible live as well, and as soon as i heard some of the new stuff live i couldnt wait to pick this up, i wasnt disappointed at all, this is not there best, but i still believe that it is a solid release

I've been a fan of the scene a long time, and Hot Rod Circuit is a good reason why. Hot Rod has been a staple in the pop indie genre for a few years now and remains one of the best bands on Vagrant Records. While their last Cd,Sorry About Tomorrow, has more of a pop punk style, Reality's Coming Through retains Hot Rod's signature catchy, geek-rock agenda. Lyrically driven and emotional, Save You and Moonlight Sunlight are easily stand out tracks. If you liked Sorry About Tomorrow, then get this CD! Other choices you may enjoy might include Spitalfield, Say Anything and Fall Out Boy. Keep Rockin'!

I have been to several of their concerts. They soudn pretty good live. HRC seems to be ever changing with their music. I don't mean in the sense that they did a total 180. When songs are written, they are written for a purpose. The artist does not expect you to understand him or her 100% completely. This album is the type where you like it or you hate it. I like the song "Save You" though its not a powerful as "The Pharmacist" or "Radiation Suit" from their last album, Sorry About Tomorrow, which I thought was their best one so far out of three.

First off all these "bad" reviews are ludicrous! You reviewers are obviously not of a skilled musician level. how on earth you could say the things you have about this album is beyond me. you obviously didn't listen to the same album as I did. This album goes in depth moreso than any other hot rod album. this album is PROGRESSION and EVOLVEMENT. This band has evolved into a polished product. The lyrics are sincere and full of passion as is the music itself. I find it quite absurd that so many people would waste their time on giving them a bad review when it is quite clear that whether or not you like HRC you have to respect this album. And for the person who has wasted this space for his own personal vendetta...grow up man! Save it for the playground. These guys work real hard to support their livelyhood and their families and they also work really hard at producing what doesn't necessarily have to make you happy but moreso something they are proud of. Furthermore I'm not just backing this album but a lot of artists who get the same flack from people who have no real idea what it is to be a musician or a person who has a valid argument for their oppinions. this album rox and to not give it a listen...well you are missing out on a band that well deserves credit.

After the extremely good "Sorry About Tomorrow", I was expecting a follow up that would be just as stellar. As soon as I got this disc I popped it in and expected greatness. After one listen nothing happened. I could hardly even remember it. I kept forcing myself to try and get into it but my efforts came to no avail. "Reality's Coming Through" is a complete mess. A nightmare for both longtime fans and ones who started listening with SAT.

Gone are the catchy infectious anthems of SAT, and in come meandering tracks that go nowhere but in circles. "Inhabit" is a mediocre opener that only partially works. Not a terrible track but it just doesn't have the everlasting hook that was showed on SAT tracks "Radiation Suit" and "Knees". "Save You" is a faintly ridiculous mid-tempo power ballad which tries much harder to be more then it really succeds at. "Fear The Sound" is an absurd attempt to try and be an angst-ridden rocker. The lyrics are amatureish while they're supposed to be dark, and by the end of the song where Andy yelps the F word, its almost impossible not to laugh because of how unconvincing he sounds.

I'd love to tell you about the rest of the cd, but I honestly couldn't hum you a bar of any other song on it. The disc is so forgettable that It almost doesn't even exist. Tracks like "Cheap Trick", "Failure", "Tell The Truth" and "Crossbow" all fade into each other and are completely interchangeable. This is just bad songwriting.

It really hurts me to write this review. I like the band very much and I hope they can recover, however if their next cd is anything like this one, they're just not gonna go anywhere.

I'm a fan of HRC but this record is just plain bad.
The lyrics are painfull to listen too (ie "unfaithful of lies" ughh!) The 4th track "Cheap Trick" makes ME feel embarrased for Andy Jackson for actualy writing it. The sound is good but it's
all over the place. Not in a good way either.
I'll check them out live when they come through, but I hope they
only play a few cuts from this step backwards in their career.
If you sang these lyrics along with Justin Timberlake's music,
you would have some serious top 40 type -crappy hits.

"in the moonlight you fade
in the dawn of a new day
at the sunlight I blaze
want to feel like this every day" from Moonlight Sunlight

This makes Blink 182 seem deep.

get the newest Green Day & Social Distortion albums instead!

This album is much better than "been there, smoked that". Hot rod circuit's old sound is back from "sorry about tomorrow".

you're a moron and you know nothing about music. this cd is awful, it was obviously rushed and the musicianship is terrible. this is about as impressive as watching grass grow. do the world a favor and never write a review again. thank you.