Customer Reviews

So, Who's Paranoid?

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Sex Pistols - DEAD -
The Clash - DEAD -
The Ramones - R.I.P. (unfortunately ...) -
... a.s.o. ...

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* THE DAMNED - ALIVE AND STILL ROCKING !!! *
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These guys should be in the CHARTS, for f**k sake !!!

Mr VANIAN and Captain SENSIBLE, with some "new" band members such as Pinch (the drumming maniac who plays faster than his own shadow), Stu West on Bass, and the psycho-psychedelic Mr Oxymoron on keyboards and stage gymnastics, have composed some of the finest tunes ever heard in the history of the British popular music.

"Grave Disorder" in 2001 was already a masterpiece of it's own.
And here is the new journey into "The Damned" world :
. Straight punchy pop-rock tracks from the finest
. Goth tunes
. Punk "head-blows"
. Psychedelic musical trips
Like a "Frankenstein" monster made of the Beatles, the early Pink Floyd, the Beach Boys (just listen to some choirs...), the head of the monster of the Black Lagoon, and a heart made of a dragster engine.

Hey ! This is an album from "The DAMNED", and these guys don't give a s**t about "what punk-rock should be", or whatsoever irrelevant considerations about the respect of some musical style of any kind.
The best musicians of all times have always been "rules-breakers", just think of other great musicians who REALLY CHANGED things in music.
These guys play WHATEVER THEY WANT TO PLAY, and the result is FANTASTIC...

I got the CD at their show in So. Cal. It is a fantastic Damned record in the vein of The Black Album, Strawberries, and Phantasmagoria. I've been listening to it over and over. Dave Vanian's vocals are masterful. Captain Sensible is one of the most underrated guitarists ever. It's definitely a progression from Grave Disorder. There is some classic material on this one. Buy it now and be glad. And if you get a chance, go see them.

Like the reviewer above me, I picked this album up at a Damned show in LA on Halloween, where they also performed some of the new material.

Whenever they played one of their new songs, I was actually excited, looking forward to the car ride home when I could listen to them all again. This is one of those albums. I've been listening to this album on a loop for days now.

Upon first my first listen, I noticed that the music presented here isn't as hard hitting as Grave Disorder. That's not to say that some of these songs aren't driving, it just isn't as heavy. But this isn't a bad thing at all; it's just different. This album has a more psychedelic feel to it. Really, it's pure DAMNED. It's dark and gothic, it's satirical and sometimes comical, it's bouncy and makes you want to dance, and it makes you want to throw a hammer at the television, all at the same time.

This album is true to form. If you're a fan of the Damned you will love this album. That's really all there is to it.

Catch them on tour if you can, where they're selling an advance tour edition (read as: DIY edition) that's signed by the band for only ten dollars!!!

Let me start by saying that the Damned have been my favorite band, through thick and thin, for the last 27 years of my life. I own every single one of their actual albums, plus tons of singles, EP's, compilations, bootlegs, and of course the Naz Nomad album, and I never miss seeing them live when they tour through my neck of the woods. With that said, I like to be objective without being too biased when I give my opinion on a new release, and I like to have a little time to sink my teeth into them, since most Damned recordings are not easy to peg at first or second listen (as someone else pointed out in their review here).

Now, down to business. I actually downloaded this album before it came out, so I've had a good 8 or so months to digest it. I gotta say, it's not their best work. Not their worst either... but it's uneven. According to Captain Sensible, they took a lot of time making this album, and are very happy with the results. Personally I think they took too much time, and got mediocre results. The production is an improvement over the last album, "Grave Disorder", but the material isn't as consistent as that one was. A few songs are really great grade-A Damned (Under the Wheels, Little Miss Disaster, A Nation Fit For Heroes), a few are really awful (Dr. Woofenstein, Since I Met You), and the rest are either just kind of... okay, or instantly forgettable. For a Damned song to fall into the category of "instantly forgettable" is a sad statement.

The feeling this time around is very similar to how I felt when "Anything" was released in '86. I know they can do better. It seems a little uninspired on some parts. The cogency of the great Damned albums like M.G.E., the Black Album, and Strawberries is simply missing here. I've seen this band crank out albums that are visceral and mind-blowing from start to finish, one after the other in the past.... and I know they are still capable of that feat, but this one falls flat.

The Damned definitely beat out the Pistols and the Clash for longevity, but that doesn't make them immune to releasing a few mediocre albums, and this one just doesn't quite make the cut for the kind of greatness I'm used to with this band. It doesn't mean that I think that they've "lost it". The Damned has experienced many peaks and valleys throughout their existence. I just hope the next album is not only a return to greatness, but doesn't take another 8 years to see the light of day.

Still, at the end of the day I'll take the Damned's worst over 98% of all the other's best any ol' time.

So many great albums/CDs...Macine Gun Etiquette, The Black Album, Phantasmagoria,...but this may be their best! I especially loved the nod to post-Syd golden era Pink Floyd, Dark Asteroid. This one is not just for Damned worshippers such as myself!
Cheers!
Fred

So,in the time that it takes most bands to have their entire career,the Damned turn out another 'at our own leisure'album of shimmering tracks that serve only to remind everyone what a magnificent beast they are.This,thier first album since the astounding 'Grave Disorder' of 2002 (which to the uninitiated would serve well as an example of everything that's brilliant about the Damned,originality,first class musicianship,craftsmanship)although slightly tamer than thier previous effort,shines through as yet another reason these guys should be hailed and respected for the non conformist geniuses they are.with all of thier albums,the first listen or two rarely grab you,the songs having a tendency to 'grow' on you,each passage ,each lyric,every unexpected turn taking its time to creep up on you.Initial stand out tracks for me were 'under the wheels',the ridiculously catchy 'dr.woofenstein',and'nothing'.The huge closing jam on wah wah pedal and keyboards is electrifying and harks back to influences like the stooges.This album has so much going on it's hard to know where to start.Buy it and ensure these guys make a next album!

Man, I must be getting old, 'cause this one completely slipped under my radar, so despite coming out in late '08, I just found out about it. The Damned has never been an easy group to pin down, starting out as a straight-ahead punk band and transforming into a rock band with a host of influences, from 60s-era pop to goth to flirtations with dub. Most of these influences surfaced on Grave Disorder, a kickbutt set o' tunes where just about every song had its own character and musical style.

This album, on the other hand, is more streamlined, and while every song is distinctive, the musical style throughout is like a power-pop variation on The Kinks or The Who. It took me a few spins to get into the album, but right away I was already singing along to the melodious "Under the Wheels" and the goofily bombastic slow-churner "Dr. Woofenstein." The set of songs slows for "Since I Met You," a quiet ballad that seems to be a more sincere take on their sardonic "Love Song," before picking back up for cuts like the gleefully nasty "Maid For Pleasure" and the droll "Perfect Sunday."

Despite the strong set of songs, the album isn't perfect, though, for once we pass the 10-song mark, the tunes become drab and uninspired: "Just Hangin'" doesn't do much else as it takes up space, and "Nothing" is pretty much just that. The worst offender on the album, though, is "Dark Asteroid," a bland 4 minute song that shifts into a 10-minute organ-driven jam that would make even Phish fans beg for mercy. The only thing that saves this album from being a middling 3-stars is the preceding set of songs and Dave Vanian's still lushly dark yet melodious voice, which almost makes me want to pity anyone who's never heard it. My advice, for what it's worth: stop the album at track 10. The track list plays well this way (perfectly, in fact), and you can leave off with the uplifting power-pop of "Little Miss Disaster" instead of continuing into the dead area of the disc.

Now, the packaging: unlike "Grave Disorder," this one comes in a standard jewel case with a clear tray, with artwork that reflects the title of the album. The art is simple - there's no lyric booklet - but the cover is not nearly as blank and bland as the artwork here would leave you to believe. You'll have to buy the album to find out why. Do it for the Captain. This one's a welcome hearkening back to their days on MCA, and after a few listens you'll be singing along with a grin on your face.

This is a must buy for any fan of music, as well as of the Damned. What I have always loved about the Damned is their innate ability to grow and mature musically without being catagorized or typecast. I am unable to "label" the Damned ie: alternative rock? punk? goth? european-pop? Yes and no to all of the above.

They continue with their rocking music, unique melodies, catchy tunes, and melliflouous vocals from Mr Vanian. This CD embodies all that is great from their storied, iconic collection.

Stand outs include the Black Album influenced: "Under the Wheels" to the GD influenced "Perfect Sunday" and "Nation fit for Heros". Catchy pop-like tunes Dr Woofenstein and Diamonds will have you humming the tunes for days!

Other notable standouts include the rocking: Nothing, Just Hanging, Danger to youself, and Maid for Pleasure.

There is even a very Beatles inspired Dark Asteroid.

On the more melodic side are Natues Dark Passion (I notice a slight Phantasmagoria influence on this one) and Since I met you.

Amazing that I find a CD with no fillers, nor sound alikes! (Meaning, I loathe bands where every song sounds the same- think nickelback-)

Hopefully, after 31 years, the band can find some commercial success with this gem.

Bought this today - would highly recommend it. Similar sound to Grave Disorder but has acoustic glimpses of Strawberries and Phantasmagoria and their earlier sound. Quit reading this and go get it!

As I write this, I'm playing SWP for the second time in two hours. Can't count how many times I've listened since purchasing at a Damned show. A firm favorite, although I didn't know until the third or fourth spin. Is it Punk? ...Psych? ... Goth? ...Pub Rock or Power Pop? Why yes! It's the Damned! Still sounding like no one else. Easily holds up against PHANTASMAGORIA, STRAWBERRIES or ANYTHING. Docked one star due to slight over-production. C'mon guys, you're getting too damn professional-sounding for a punk band! Maybe you can try a little "Lo-Fi" anti-production like those Black Metal whippersnappers for the next one...