Customer Reviews

Red Letter Days (Hybr) (Ms)

5 star:		(48)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The Wallflowers have out done themselves with this album. I have been a fan of them since "One Headlight" but had totally forget that they had a new ablum coming out, by chance I spotted it and bought it without thinking and boy am I glad I did. This ablum is amazing! It's totally awesome and there's not a bad song on the whole thing. I've only had it 48 hours and I can't stop listening to it. While I enjoyed "Breach" this album rises much higher reaching for something a little more perfect. "Breach" was really depressing and while the sorrows of the Wallflowers aren't totally lost, "Red Letter Days" provides a slightly more upbeat look on life, but this not overly happy pop mind you, it's real music, real emotion.

Hightlights:
"When You're On Top"- track number one and one of my favorites, has amazing lyrics that have a good message while at the same time leaving questions (there's an interesting religious overtone to the song as well) the song also sounds very different, as Dylan talks to us in an almost slow rap

"Closer to You"- one word "AMAZING" I love this song, it's so romantic without being sappy, it's so real and slower than many of the other tracks but at the same time has an upbeat swing to it

"Too Late to Quit"- this song is just great and reminds us that the Wallflowers may be tired but it's too late to quit, and thank god they haven't

"See You When I get There"- this is love song that's just really fun and has some great back up female vocals that balance Dylan perfectly

If you have ever loved the Wallflowers, then go get this CD, because you won't be disappointed, it's amazing and proves that the Jacob Dylan is on TOP once again.

Red Letter Days, the fourth album from The Wallflowers, is composed of insightful lyrics, catchy tunes and genuine talent. The music of the group, written by frontman Jakob Dylan, has been classified as traditional American rock; it isn't a style produced according to current trends, but is sure to have staying power and be pertinent for years to come.
The album includes a blend of upbeat rock songs and slower ballads. Powerful tracks like "Everybody Out of the Water" and "See You When I Get There" alternate with the more subdued melodies of songs such as "Closer To You" and "Three Ways."
So far, Red Letter Days has gotten similar response to The Wallflowers' 1996 release Bringing Down the Horse which sold over 6 million copies and earned a Grammy due to hits like "One Headlight" and "Sixth Avenue Heartache."
The music of Red Letter Days has been compared to that of rock legends such as Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen and U2. It is an impressive album that is worth a listen for rock and pop fans alike.

I have to laugh to myself when I read the negative reviews on this CD. Calling this stuff "bubble gum" or "watered down"? The problem with most of todays music is that it is melodically challenged. Yet record industry's abandonment of "good good...good rock'n'roll" has left us with Avril Lavigne as one of rock's sole artist with commercial viability. Is this where we want rock to be represented on the radio? Rock need's roots and the Wall Flower's should owe no apologies for their's. These naysayers should thank The Wall Flower's for "representing" (in the english sense of the word). Great lyrics, awesome mood capturing melodies, heartfelt vocal delivery and no "fronting" (now there's a novel idea).

After listening to Breach, the follow up to the hugely succesful album Bringing Down the Horse, one thinks that along the way The Wallflowers lost what so many fans loved about their music; catchy tunes and identifiable lyrics. Well I can say with pride that The Wallflowers are back in a BIG way. With their fourth studio album, Red Letter Days, Jacob and the gang get back to their roots and rediscover the art of great songs. This freshly prepared CD gives listeners what they have also longed for, an album that can be played from beginning to end.
It opens up with "When Your On Top" a summer song that has sing along lyrics as well as one of the catchiest hooks ever. Jacob really finds his voice on jazzy twanged songs such as "Closer to You" and "Three Ways." But he still knows how to get a point across in commanding songs like "Everybody Out of the Water,"(the strongest of the bunch)& "Everything I Need." Some of the tracks have great meaning and can be related to a very peronal point in his life. Songs such "Health and Happiness" and "How Good it Can Get" deliver the substance of the record. By record's end you will be able to go back to the beginning to get another dose. If you own Bringing Down the Horse and were disappointed by Breach this makes up for it tremendously. BOTTOM LINE: Wallflowers' best album to date.

Me, being one of the world's biggest Wallflowers fans, I never thought a Wallie album would disappoint me. I was slightly disappointed when I got Red Letter Days. I'm a Bringing Down the Horse devotee... I love their catchy, distinguishable rock and deep, inspired lyrics, but when RLD came around, they had vanished. I listened to the cd with huge expectations from a band I felt so highly of, and was faced with track after track of derivative pop. Of course there are some highlights.... Everybody Out Of the Water, Feels Like Summer, Everything I Need, Empire Of My Mind. I never would have thought that a bonus track would end up being the best song on the cd... go figure. Anyways, this album isn't THAT bad, I just didn't expect it. If I had heard it first, it would've have been iffy on my purchase of it... I'm so sad to say that about the Wallflowers.

If it were the 70s (or even the 80s), The Wallflowers would still be getting the same amount of support and airplay that they received for _Bringing Down the Horse_ several years ago. Jakob Dylan has always written very good songs without relying on gimmicks or trendy tricks to gain attention and _Red Letter Days_ is no different. Their mentality seems to be - write and record good songs within the framework of guitar, bass, drums, keys/piano and Dylan's talent as a songwriter makes this just fine.

Since The Wallflowers are far from a showy band and Jakob is past his brief stint as the "it" musician, they face the problem of not being given a chance by ever increasing constrained radio programming. "When You're On Top" grows on you with each listen. One might take the chorus as how Dylan feels about his current status as a musician: "I'm doing better than I thought I would/but nothing's ever as good as when you're on top." "Closer to You" is a beautiful song with a subtle production, balanced by gentle piano and guitar and a steady, quiet, pulsing beat. "Everybody out of the Water" rocks in a similar fashion to the heavier moments of Tom Petty or Crowded House/Neil Finn. Speaking of Neil Finn, "Three Ways" is reminscent of some of the quieter tracks on Finn's _Try Whistling This_ and _One Nil_. "If You Never Got Sick" is just as good a radio-friendly tune as "Three Marlenas" and "The Difference" so hopefully the record company will release this song next as a single. The sultriness of "Health & Happiness" might make you miss the bitter sentiment: "I wish you health/I wish you happiness/but absolutely nothing else."

I definitely recommend this album if you're a fan of The Wallflowers or other similar artists like Tom Petty, Crowded House, or Elvis Costello. After a few weeks since its release, it has fallen off the charts. Hopefully that will change with word of mouth because this is a very good album.

On 1996's sophomore release, the Wallflowers "brought down the horse." The album, which sold more than 3 million copies and garnered the band two Grammys, was the documentation of lead singer Jakob Dylan's personal struggle to step out of the imposing shadow of his father, rock pioneer Bob Dylan. This time around with the newly released Red Letter Days, Dylan is putting that horse to rest once and for all.
When Dylan sings, "I buried my horse/in a shallow grave/ I said a few things/ I had champagne," he's not only bidding a fond farewell to the unavoidable and often unfavorable comparisons to his famous father, he is celebrating the severance of ties. And although the comparisons probably won't stop coming, this time around Dylan just doesn't give a damn. "That beast gave me everything/ that nobody gave/ I got high hopes.../ I won't look back/ I just found out/ that my bird can really sing," he concluded on "Feels Like Summer Again", a driving declaration of independence from all the negativity in his life.
Eternally tortured, Dylan continues to churn out reflective and thoughtful songs, many of which, including "Everything I Need", reading like a page out of his own personal diary.
"It doesn't matter/ if I'm qualified," he states. "Or if I ever learn to blow your mind/ I've got everything I need/ I'm not looking for a place to shine/ I woke up and I'm satisfied." After dismal sales of the band's third album Breach (2000), the Wallflowers might be feeling the pressure to reprove themselves to their audience and critics with Red Letter Days, but Dylan's songwriting isn't revealing the strain. And even though he claims he doesn't need a place to shine, with this album they are.
Whatever his true intentions, these 12 songs are lyrically poetic and melodically superb. The Wallflowers sound better than they have on any of their previous albums. Even Dylan, usually low-key, said in an interview that Red Letter Days was "the kind of record you always thought you were going to make when you were a kid." Despite some line-up changes, departures and guest musicians (including Mike McCready from Pearl Jam), the band sounds tight and unified.
Unlike previous albums where Dylan's rasping and mumbling were unintelligible, on this album he finally reveals the wide scope of his vocal abilities. He can be warm or cold. He can croon like Sinatra or scream like Cobain. He can be tortured and depressed or happily enthralled with the cards life has dealt him. The songs change from love song ballads to riff-laden rockers without jarring the listener or seeming out of place.
The Wallflowers other albums had a tendency to be dark and slightly bitter and Red Letter Days is a great departure from their usual doom and gloom without cleaning up all the grit that made their reputation. Newfound spirituality is an obvious theme and Dylan's more hopeful attitude makes the album bright and uplifting.
The phrase "red letter day" comes from the custom of marking important holidays on your calendar in red ink; it denotes a memorable or joyous day or event. In the second song, aptly titled "How Good It Can Get," Dylan reassures, "you won't believe/ just how good in can get", but if this record is any indication, there are some great albums yet to come. He offers more suggestion of the band's future in the final notes of "Too Late to Quit". "You're never gonna get back/ anymore than you're giving/ life is for the living/ you've got to be willing/ A song ain't a song/ until someone starts singing." It's a red letter day indeed.

If you are a The Wallflowers' huge fan like I am, then you'll probably share my frustration everytime I praize their work, even knowing few people really know about their terrific songs. But I guess it's better this way: Jakob Dylan is a complete artist, and I don't think that the mainstream would improve him. RED LETTER DAYS is full of chilling and wonderful composicions, and we can feel how energetic and inspired The Wallflowers can sound, listening every single song. If you still don't believe that you should discover them, please listen CLOSER TO YOU... it'd be a heartwarming journey, followed by EVERYBODY OUT OF THE WATER, a superb rock song. And be prepared: their last album, REBEL, SWEETHEART, is even better.

Like most people, I got into the Wallflowers with the song "One Headlight." But it seems only a minority have been lucky enough (and smart enough) to stick around and be rewarded with such great music. This is, hands-down, my favorite of all five Wallflowers albums. Don't let the lack of radio play scare you away. The Wallflowers haven't lost a beat since "Bringing Down the Horse." This is just quality music that you can listen to over and over.

Favorite song: Three Ways

Red Letter Days, the fourth album by The Wallflowers, is none other than amazing. These four guys have definitely done it again. It is an easy listening collection of original and unique songs. My favorite selections include: "When You're On Top", "Everything I Need", and "See You When I Get There". Although, all the songs compiled on this CD are nothing short of extraordinary. Each song has a strong individual meaning with extremely powerful lyrics to back up the thought behind it, which is sometimes a rare thing these days. Lead vocalist Jakob Dylan, son of the famous Bob Dylan, obviously has much talent due to the fact that all songs on this album were written by him. Many musicians these days seem to only sing the lyrics. But Jakob was influenced by life and he reflected on it through music. He is truly an original. If you liked any of the other Wallflowers CD's including: "Wallflowers", "Bringing Down The Horse", or "Breach" you will definitely love this one from the boys we have come to love. Other bands closely related in sound include: Coldplay, Matchbox 20, and Bush. I strongly urge you to go out and purchase this album. It is a must have for any Wallflowers fan.