Customer Reviews

Smell the Magic

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

L7 defintely was my favorite band in the early/mid' 90s. Their music was loud, heavy yet catchy. I discovered L7 when I was flipping through the issue of Rolling Stone that had Nirvana on the cover, Kurt Cobain had a t-shirt that said "corporate magazines sucks". In the issue, there were a bunch of up and coming artists/bands listed and one of them was L7. I was immediately intrigued and bought their major label debut album "Bricks Are Heavy". I loved that album right away and I eventually bought the band's other two albums, their self-titled album and "Smell the Magic". "Smell the Magic" is my favorite of the two independently released albums. The songs were just as catchy as "Pretend We're Dead" and "Everglade". I particularly love "Fast and Frightening", "Deathwish", and "'Til the Wheels Fall Off". "Smell the Magic" is just as good as "Bricks Are Heavy". I miss the '90s when music was still about music and less about bling bling and materialistic garbage that I see on MTV. There was something pure and honest that came out of bands like L7 and Social Distortion. They weren't all about image.

All L7 ever wanted was to rock your world, they did it, ... They do Rock. Their music is way above the more blatent Roit Grrrl approach. L7 were just pissed with men and stuff like that, and make great music from it.
They are one of my favourite groups of all time, theres something thats perhaps artistic about not being as famous as you should be, something that makes then special and unique and of course the fact that they COMPLETELY ROCK does come into it.

Smell the Magic includes one of L7s earliest songs "Shove" its a great song and its L7 in one - an attack on how women are treated in the mosh pit when all the want to do is jump around and shove. Packin a rod, Fast and Frightening, Till the wheels fall off - Loud and fast punkrock.
I like this whole album, its one of those records that is just great ALL THE TIME, not just in the first few months youe had it. and yes, 11 years later it is still as good as it was in 91, maybe even better, who knows, you'll have to buy it won't you.

My favourite L7 song has to be American Society, I just like it, it rocks, its loud and hard. great riffs. There is alot of pure aggression in L7s music, and STM is no exception, its harder than the other records and probably my personal favourite of them all.
L7 got on with punk rocknroll and did a great job. If this is the first L7 record youre buying, i would recommend you get Bricks are Heavy, if not then STM is a MUSTHAVERIGHTNOW addition to your collection. By the way L7 are NOT HOLE (common mistake) nor do they sound alot like them (except early Hole) L7 do not compare with the other 90's bands they are THE GREATEST (so are the Babes in Toyland) ...

If, when youve bought this you like it, get Are You Man Enough by Betty Blowtorch, they are amazing, theyre L7 and AC/DC, guns n roses and rocknroll in one. One cd you wont every regret buying.

Bricks are Heavy was the album that brought L7 to America's attention, and later albums enhanced their reputation as a talented grrrl band but (much as i love most of their stuff, with the exception of perhaps their latest album and "Pretend We're Dead") this is far better than anything else they've done; grungier, punkier, and a lot more metal... L7 specialise in raw aggression and this showcases it best, with songs like "Packin a Rod," "Shove" and "Til The Wheels Fall Off" providing great road trip music and killer guitar licks. Slower (yet far from slow) tracks like "Broomstick" and "Right on Thru" have a great sludgy, filthy feel to them, while "Fast and Frightening" stands as a classic grrrl anthem. "American Society" shows a more sensitive side to L7 and "Just Like Me" (my personal favourite) mentions, pays respect to and questions bands such as Guns N Roses, Faster Pussycat and Vixen.
Bands like Hole and Bikini Kill, although on some occasions inspiring, can often have the opposite effect, with the girls in the band playing simple instrumental parts, while the only male in the band is the lead guitarist. L7 don't whine about how hard it is to be female, they just get on with playing great punk-metal and (along with Lita Ford, Joan Jett, Betty Blowtorch etc) prove that you don't have to be a guy to play REAL rocknroll.

I love "Smell the magic", it's my favorite L7 album. It's hard, rough, tough and dirty- everything I want. "Shove" is great, but it doesn't beat "Fast and Frightening", "Deathwish", "Packin' a Rod" and "American Society". All the other songs are great as well!

If you like loud music and crave some L7 related material, I recommend you Jennifer Finch's new band "the Shocker" which was formed in 2003, and their CD "Up Your Ass Tray". On this page you can download some of their songs (it's free AND legal): http://www.myspace.com/theshocker .You can also check out their website http://www.shockersite.com

Eight years after the release of Smell The Magic the disc is one of the few that I still listen to on a regular basis. I've been a fan of L7 since Day 1 (1988?). Donita's and Suzi's guitars sound as dirty and violent and uncompromised as their hair LOOKS. Dee's drumming is machine gun fast yet unwavering. Her perfect timing is staggeringly impressive. Best for last: Jennifer Finch's bass lines are the grooviest and the evil-est I've ever heard in a rock band! The three guitarists take turns singing lead, and it's the different vocal stylings that make this band one of the most versatile and one of the most unique in a genre of music that can usually produce only one screamer in the band. The entire CD is totally awesome but stand out tracks would have to be narrowed down to: "Til The Wheels Fall Off" "Right On Thru" "Packin'A Rod" and "Broomstick". And kudos to anyone who can listen to the music on this CD while driving AND STILL MAINTAIN THE SPEED LIMIT...especially during "Fast and Frightening"...forget about it! This CD ROCKS!!! Buy it! I already have one but I'm gonna buy another!!!!!

This is one of those CDs that never, ever, EVER gets tired. It just gets better and better. The classic L7 masterpiece, "Shove", is on here, as well as many other hits. Hard driving rock and roll; Angry, honest vocals and riffs. Each song a character and story unto itself. And all of it just so much FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Really, really great stuff. Also, if you check out one of the other reviews that reccomends "Betty Blowtorch", I couldn't agree more. An unbelievable CD. Sadly, The lead singer was killed last year. THat band would've been huge.

I really love this album it completely rocks and the production is just that little bit more raw than bricks are heavy... and American Society is way better than Pretend We're Dead

My favorte tracks are, American Society, shove, packin' a rod, Deathwish and Fast and Frightning that being said there is not a bad track on the album thoes just stand out the album is pure punk rock with super dirty guitars that you would expect from L7 seriously there distortion rocks hard, this album is just full of aggression and the lyrics are also funny which is good as well...

I saw a few people mentioned Betty Blowtorch and like every one else i couldn't aggree more that band is/was so great in fact if you like this album or any L7 album just got buy Betty Blowtorch: Are You Man Enough? it's just that damn good.

I've listened to several of L7's albums, and this is definitely my favorite. This is classic grunge that is on the verge of punk. Too bad it only has 9 songs, i would have liked to heard more L7 in this style. Best songs are "Just Like Me" and "Shove."

This L7 album is definitely some of the most underrated multiplayer-Quake-playing music I have ever heard. I can't really describe the vivid memories of endless late nights of shotgun-blasting mayhem sensation that the track listing induces. Too many tracks on their later discs are too slow to kill your friends to; this one gets the tempo and melodies just right (and has screaming choruses like "I'm packin' a rod!!!"). Meanwhile, you will subconsciously be assaulted with other brilliant grrl-metal lyrical stylings. What more do you want, really?

I loved 'Bricks are Heavy', its one of my favorite albums so I decided to get this one and 'hungry for stink'. They both suck unless you're into squealing sloppy punk. Bummer.