Customer Reviews

Scenic

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

First off, who ever doesent know about how Denver Harbor came around, here it is. This Band consists of Will Salazar, Chris Lewis (Both from the band Fenix*TX), Aaron Rubin, and Ilan Rubin (Both from the band F.O.N.)......All Members have a name in the music world, and the drummer (Ilan) is only 16.....This album is deffently one that shows some roots from Fenix*Tx (because Will is the songwriter in this group)......This band deffently has that punk/surf, alternative backround....both showing it with the songs like "Picture Perfect Wannabe" and "Twenty Seven".....and for all those that are making fun of Blink-182 in this write up, if it wasant for Mark Hoppus (who founded/managed Fenix in the beginning)and the INSPIRATOIN of blink-182, THIS band probably would not be around....

I went out and got this album the first day it came out i was so excited to get it....i remember my cousin telling me about how some of the guys of Fenix were starting a new band...it wasant until i herd "picture perfect wannabe" at my work that reminded me of this album comming out and wating to get it....once i got it, i was hooked by the opening lick from Ilan in "Xenophobia" (being a drummer myself).....a couple weeks after this album came out, I remeber seing a flyer for them comming to my town, the next day i went out to buy tickets so i didnt miss the amazing concert it was.....they were on tour at the time with LIT (which Denver did a hell of a better show) and there was not that many people in the crowd (making it kind of like a personal concert)......anyway, This album reminds me of Fenix (mainly the debut album), ALOT, but also a new twist to it.....it also has a "viratey" of songs (style wise), making this album one that you can listen to for weeks, possibly MONTHS straight! so if you are into the music that is punk/surf and alternative, get this album to hear the twist they did, you wont be dissapointed in the results!!

Denver Harbor is one of those bands that are usually pretty standard but they do just enough different to get you to notice them. It's usually normal punk rock, but there are moments where they dip into genres, such as some reggae/ska inspired guitars. It also helps that the standard stuff is pretty good.

Scenic starts off with a bang in "Xenophobia", a fast paced song that might give you a false impression of the rest of the album, which tends to be slower. The next three songs are all high quality punk, with "Outta My Head" featuring some of that different guitar work. "All I Want" is a good, slower tune, and after an interlude it leads into "Ride", another song with ska-type music, and it has a pretty good chorus too.

The rest of the songs aren't quite as strong creatively as the first half, but they're still a good listen. The members of Denver Harbor, originally from either Fenix*TX or F.O.N., know how to write catchy hooks and choruses as well as almost anybody. Fenix*TX may have gotten some help from Blink-182 getting started, but they are much better at mixing it up and writing songs that are memorable long after you've heard them.

No, it's not emo. No, it's not punk [maybe]. No, it's not quite like anything you've ever heard, yet it somehow sounds generic anyway. It's difficult to describe this band, though I think they have no resemblance to Blink-182, the most commercialized band ever to disgrace music at large. Instead, Denver Harbor's lyrics reveal anticommercialism that shows their influences are more punk than pop. While not the strongest track, "Picture Perfect Wannabe" is all about writing the next big song, and how Denver Harbor did it right by not copying their predecessors and finding their own style. "Twenty-Seven" is about "Operation Blame-it-on-the-rest" and how listening to the "dear father junkie on the radio" can ruin you. Perhaps you should listen to lyrics and not just the music before you pigeonhole bands into categories and influences. The only song bordering on emo is "My Holiday (Save Me)" and that's just because of the screaming lyrics over the ADD-esque opening riffs. If anyone is familiar with Lola Ray, then this band is more on par with them at their most digestible, or possibly more like Silverstein [minus the emo screaming].

It's true that there is nothing groundbreaking about Denver Harbor, but sometimes that's a good thing. Denver Harbor represents the epitome of their genre, with good lyrics and, as almost everyone seems to agree, better hooks than Bill Gates' coat rack. Personally, I think they're a great alternative to the vast fields of depressing bands like Three Days' Grace. They're Hoobastank without the cheap pop influence, Finger Eleven without the harsh edge, and the Ataris without the obscure references to tiny towns in Oregon... and all of those things are good things.

With that said, Denver Harbor is a joy to listen to; there are no other bands [except possibly the Ataris] that I actually enjoy listening to in their style. Both of these bands have the quality of honesty and sincerity in their music, which I think makes for great music, and why the other fake pop stars and wannabe punk rockers always flounder and fail eventually -- hey, even Mark Hoppus is unemployed now. Okay, enough of my undying hatred for Blink; I'll wrap this up by saying that Denver Harbor's critique of mainstream music is well-deserved, and that their music just might be able to bring a little cred back to mainstream punk.

i heard denver harbor were an amalgam of nofx (of whom i strongly resent) but i heard "satisfied" on tv one day and saw the cd cheap and got it.VERY good call.this is catchy emo modern rock at top notch.i love the vocals too.very driving and catchy.if you dig bands like letter kills,anberlin,and the exies you will definitely dig this album.

This is not an album whose sound is easy to describe as anyone who has heard it will tell you. Every single song, from the first track "Xenophobia" to the the last one "Let You Go" (and everything in between including DHs current single "Picture Perfect Wannabe") has a completely different sound and feel to it. You get something new every few minutes with each track.

It's rare in these days of produced music to hear something completly novel and new...to have an album where every song sounds different. For those of you who like the safety of buying an album where you know you will like every track because they all sound the same, then "Scenic" might not be for you.

HOWEVER, if you are looking for something differnt, something new then this album is a sure bet. Of course, that said for those of you who like the safety of a similar sound to each song, because of the changing feel you will surely find a track you enjoy, and who knows you may even like the entire album. I know I did, and unless I am looking for a specific song, I would never even think of skipping a track. Simply put, this album is AWESOME!

I really like this band! They're not your typical cookie cutter type band which are all too common now a days, and they're not a corporate brand band either! They have their own sound, and their lyrics are deep and exceptional to my ears. I especially connect with track 11. My Holiday (Save Me)

I am thankful that Will Salazar didnt quit music after the disaster that happened in Fenix Tx. He used a few songs from what was going to be the third Fenix Tx album and put them on here. This album reminds me a lot of Lechuza which was probably one of the best albums of 2001. Their first album was ok but it sounded too much like Blink 182. I'm glad it didnt take them 5 or 6 albums to figure out that you can't gain any self- respect playing to ten year olds.This album has that Lechuza mature sound and basically is an extension of it. I've read some reviews on here and i guess if you're 10 year old Avril Levine and Yellowcard must seem like AC/DC. Sorry kids you won't like this album.

So it was October 2004. A busy month for music. New Good Charlotte, Sum 41, and Jimmy Eat World albums. Also, a couple of guys from Fenix TX were releasing their new band's first album. So, I had to buy 4 new cds in one month (i won't even touch on Simple Plan's new album). I was interested to see which one was the best. You know what happens when you buy a new cd; it sounds great the first couple of spins, then your brain starts picking it apart while your listening to it driving through town. And if it's a great cd, your brain will have a hard time picking it apart, but if it's mediocore, it becomes a little repetive and you go back to that old Brand New Deja Entendu cd and try to figure that out again.

So Good Charlotte's album was a solid effort as always. They improved on the lyrics, made a great concept album that starts out when your born, goes through the trails of life, and ends with your death. A+ for that. However, there's a few throw away songs at the end (mountain, we believe) and Predictable has too much talk-yelling to be a great song. Pretty good start to the month.

Sum 41's album made their last one look superb, which it wasn't. Yeah they did more rock, but it's too much like Linken Park and Metallica in many places. Nothing truely new, except for All To Blame which is the best song and of course the single. In fact, they've reused chord progressions from Thanks for Nothing and Handle This among others. This CD was Ok.

Jimmy Eat world put forth another great cd, but again it doesn't touch what Bleed American did. Pain is the best song and of course the single. Interestingly, if you bought this cd early, you got the Demo version to which basically sounds like a live album. That's kinda cool, but you can also see how much production they put into the final version. Also, interestingly Pain had a horrible chorus in the demo version.

For people still reading this...
Then comes Denver Harbor. Two months later, this CD is still spinning in my car. It's just nuts how awesome it is. This is a musician's cd. There's no tricks, all the coolness comes from musicians playing their instruments extremely well. Will's voice is just a great rock voice with no abrasiveness. It is just so easy on the ears, even when he's shouting (and i dont mean Story of the Year shouting, that stuff's lame and EVERYWHERE now). The single Picture Perfect Wannabe may be the least interesting song on the album. Which is pretty awesome. That means if you've heard the single, you are in for so much more. There's "santana" like hispanic influences in the guitars in The Ride. There's reggee, rock, killer drums, fatty bass lines...overall good MUSIC. You'll love the kick in the teeth of the first track Xenophobia. You'll love how the tracks transisition into each other. You'll love the buliding of Twenty Six into Twenty Seven.
So why am I still listening to this album? Because it's INTERESTING! and not interesting in the way that Blink 182 tried to make their latest album interesting, but interesting like Dude Ranch or Brand New's Your Favorite Weopon or Deja Entendu or Bleed American or From Here to Infirmary or All Killer No Filler. It comes down to good lyrics, interesting guitars and bass, and well constructed songs that go in a different direction from what you've heard. In short, pick up this album!

It just doesn't stop. Being a graphic designer i am up a lot at night doing design and in order to stay awake I listen to this. It gets the blood flowin and is just great music. Highly Recommended

I was a Fenix Tx fan and Ive been following Denver Harbor, and there music still rocks. All there songs are original and great to listen to, they actully know how to make some great music unlike many of todays bands. Every Track on this cd is great and i wouldent skip one song. I think Denver Harbor is the next big thing in music, and hopefully it wont effect there music on there next album, so If you dont already know this Album Rocks.