Customer Reviews

The Redwalls

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

 

 

The Redwalls

Redwall's new album is simply the creme de la creme of rock music. I love Alternative Rock, but I consider this just plain old rock music.

The sound of this band is very familiar. It's almost like they've been around forever, even though it's been less than 10 years. Some people compare them to the Beatles, and after listening to some prior albums I can hear some that influence. But I think their look and the four man band thing also has something to do with it. Really, this music is something unique to them.

There's something unique and polished that Redwalls has that you don't hear too often. They don't go outside themselves, they seem to play like they are comfortable with where they are at with their music. And the result is just good music.

This is their third album that I know of, and their previous two are definitely on my short list. Still, this is their first album to really capture my attention. There's been so much good new music over the past two years it's almost overwhelming.

For Fans of:
The White Stripes Icky Thump
The Strokes Heart in a Cage
Spoon Girls Can Tell
The Wallflowers Bringing Down the Horse
Wilco Sky Blue Sky

Definitely check this out. You won't be disappointed.

Enjoy!

I bought this album after I listened to all the 30 second preview clips available through this site and iTunes. The preview clips sounded promising, oh boy was I wrong. The honest truth about this band is that they are your typical "wanna be " type group. We've all heard these kinds of groups in various formats Some bands can pull it off rather well (i.e. Black Motorcycle Rebel Club) but others stumble......this band stumbles. By the 5th or 6th track of this album, you will be asking yourself "what happened to the originality I heard in the preview clips"? I was asking myself the same question. Each song as a whole is highly repetitive without any sort of creative twists in songwriting (which I wasn't expecting being this as another knock off band of a past era). Listen to the first 40 seconds of each song and poof, you just heard the entire song......just without it being looped over and over a couple of times. Bottom line is this, if you're desperately looking for some "new" material in the lines of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club or whatever your favorite knock-off band is, then you might find some appeal in this album. But for those of us who were looking for some intelligent songwriting and an album that isn't 60% filler material, then I suggest you look elsewhere.

Just found out about these guys, REALLY like them. People say they sound like the beatles, I really don't care if they do or not but I like them. Finally some good music!

Forget the old criticism that The Redwalls were a Beatles/Dylan ripoff. These guys might have worn their influences on their sleeves a bit too much, but with this disk, I believe they have defined their own sound, which is a very listenable, likable and accessible guitar, bass, drums sound. It still has echoes of the 60's/early 70's but I don't listen to this and say, "they sound like The Beatles". This band should by all rights be huge but they do not get the respect they deserve. "Modern Diet" is as good as anything you hear on the radio, but I have only heard ot twice in Chicago (their hometown) on WXRT. They are excellent songwriters, singers and musicians. I really hope that their next disk is embraced by the rock and roll community because it would be a shame for them to fade into obscurity. Can't wait to hear more of The Redwalls.

Seriously. Rock critics are dumb. They chide this group for being redundant or unoriginal. But who do they steal from? Crappy bands like Aerosmith, the Smiths, or Patti Smith? No, from awesome bands like The Beatles, and awesome artists like Bob Dylan. And that's basically why they are awesome, and should exist. If you were a young group of rock music lovers forming a group, wouldn't you want to try and create music that reflected what you love about music? It's not like they are uber talented professional musicians who labioriously copy the Beatles like a computer trying to compose simulated jazz or something. They are just earnest young little rockers whose tastes make them want to have close knit harmonies, catchy riffs, and soulful melodies. My only problem is that their lyrics are a bit too universal. Their next album should be more intimate. Redwalls, if you're reading this, and maybe you are, I seem to be the first reviewer, all the universal songs have been written, you guys know this. The trick is to turn the intimate into the unviersal. Look at Hey Jude. It wasn't, Hey Dude! I mean, it was about John's son Julian, but John always took it as a direct message to him, like, Hey John. And thats how everyone in the world felt, that it was a unique message for them. Especially everyone named Jude, or various German Jewish speaking people. But thats ok. You guys are young, and already have 3 pretty awesome little experiments of ambitious great rock under your belts. I'd say, don't be afraid to ditch your guitars on a few songs, or rather, reduce them to more of a garnish. You guys have the sense, the awareness of tight high quality rock n roll songwriting, so, feel free to sing in front of a marching band or something.

Since they mainly sound like the Beatles or a sometimes The Rolling Stones I guess the only way they could stand out was by creating a totally tinny sounding mix. The midrange is harsh on this recording.
The bass is present but it's an ugly thumpy bass sound. The songs are marginal and then the mix just makes this CD unlistenable to me.
I returned my copy. There are better bands and better sounding bands out there making this kind of rock.

I heard this group on the Jay Leno show and liked their sound, even though i'm an older rock & roll fan. I then went to Amazon to listen to other cuts from the album. Needless to say, i found the songs to my liking and ordered it. Their instrumental work isn't as accomplished as a group like Kings of Leon...which i purchased in the same way...but their vocals and harmony are great. I look forward to more work from them.

De Nova was an amazing album but got slagged by critics for sounding too much like The Beatles. For those that wrote them off before, give them another chance because this album is proof that they have found their own sound while not ditching their influences. So refreshing to hear an album nowadays in which every song on it is good. I highly recommend this to anybody who is into The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Strokes, T. Rex, The Rolling Stones, Oasis, or just anybody that likes really great rock music.