Customer Reviews

Smoking Popes Tribute

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4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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It isn't often that a tribute album can stand on its own two feet, but this Smoking Popes tribute manages to do just that.

Featuring some solid choices and performances, even the odd misstep ("Off My Mind") can't derail a very enjoyable album that does the boys proud.

Nothing can compare to the real thing. But great songs, are great songs and that is evident on this tribute album.

For example:
-"Megan" with pianos? Why not, it's one of the greatest songs ever written so it's pretty hard to do wrong.
-"Need You Around" is a pretty solid blend of the album and live versions.
-"Let Them Die" is a faithful rendition of the 1 minute, 30 second classic, right down to the final two notes.
-"Mrs. You and Me" and "Off My Mind" almost make the songs forgettable.
-"Do Something" just makes you wish there was another Smoking Popes/Duvall secret track at the end of the album-but, alas, no deal.
-"Waiting Around" and "Days..." just go through the motions.
-"Paul" is another faithful rendition of a classic Popes tune.
-"Rubella" is too dull to remember.
-"End of Your Time" is cool just because you wouldn't expect anyone to cover one of the lost gems from "Destination Failure".
-"Don't Be Afraid" is a great reinterpretation, that really gives the song new life. I have a demo version I downloaded online before the album came out and Mike's vocals sounded a little better with that digital distortion from the bad .winamp file. But we have to cut the drummer some slack.
-"Pretty Pathetic" is the death of every Popes fans favorite song. It sounds like it was recorded in a bathroom and the song just drones on and on. I kept thinking it would explode into something great like the "Live" version, but no such luck.
-The extra track is more of the same boring tin can recording sound.

Overall the album is hit and miss, but in my opinion the hits outweigh the misses, so buy a used copy and count down the days to the new Smoking Popes studio album. Rock On!

If you love the Smoking Popes or the artists who did the covers you must buy this album. I have been a huge smoking popes fan for awhile and I saw that some of my friends bands did covers so of course I had to buy it. I was completely blown away but how amazing each band did the songs. Duvall(ex members of the smoking popes) even did a cover. It is probably one of the best tribute cds ever. Very well done!