Customer Reviews

Strait Up

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

On December 11, 1998, Snot vocalist Lynn Strait was on his way to Los Angeles to work on the second Snot album when he got in a car accident that claimed his life. Meanwhile, the rest of the band had just finished demoing the music for 9 new songs when they got the call that Lynn was gone.

There are really two ways to look at this album - as a tribute to Lynn from his friends and bandmates, and as a glimpse into the aborted second Snot album, which with Lynn's death was doomed never to happen. Obviously it is a very touching gesture and a testament to how many lives Lynn affected. However, Lynn's death was also the death of one of the best metal bands of the era and while the lyrics are in many cases a heartfelt send-off for a good friend, the music is a scrapbook providing a glimpse into what Snot could have become.

First, lyrically, there are some very touching lyrics. What is interesting is how many different reactions Lynn's death incited - from Serj's poetic celebration of Lynn's virtues to Jonathan Davis's anger and feelings of betrayal and Corey Taylor's shock. Among the more disappointing deliveries is Fred Durst's inane ranting on "Forever"... on one hand, it can be seen as a reaction to the self-rightous a-hole DJ's and music critics who dismissed Lynn as just another worthless drug casualty, which is an honest enough reaction. But at the same time, why sully Lynn's memory by calling out his enemies on this tribute? Also, "Reaching Out" has mostly nonsense lyrics, even though the tune is one of the best on the album musically.

Seen as a glimpse into Snot's aborted second album, Strait Up is both fascinating and massively frustrating. What is immediatly clear is that Snot's music was becoming significantly more dark and serious. These tunes don't even need the somber lyrics to be heavy-hearted, as the music is just a lot more brutal and angry than most of the punk/jazz-core found on Get Some.

It should be pointed out that there are actually 15 tracks on this album. However, the band only wrote 9 new songs as of when Lynn passed away. So which songs constitute Snot's hypothetical second album? Well the 15th "hidden" track is a remixed soup of Snot songs and a few recordings of Lynn's spoken voice. Interesting, but not that listenable, and clearly not something that was written in the regular sense.

The only performance by the full band Snot on this album is "Absent", probably the band's single most emotionally powerful song. However, while this version is remixed and cleaned up for Strait Up, it was originally released on the Strangeland soundtrack, and was not one of the 9 new songs. It may have landed on Snot's LP2 though, and it is a perfect example of how much more powerful and dark Snot's music was becoming at this time. The music to "Sad Air" was written by ex Snot guitarist Sonny Mayo in response to Lynn's passing. While it is a very emotional track, with what I assume is one of Lynn's last interviews, it wouldn't have existed without his death.

"Ozzy Speaks" is a spoken word tribute from Ozzy Osbourne at the center of the album. "Angel's Son", on the other hand, is an absolutely beautiful ballad featuring singer Lajon Witherspoon from Sevendust. Actually, it features several other members of Sevendust, and was written by Sevendust guitarist Clint Lowerly. It is a great song but it is a Sevendust song and an alternate version can be found at the end of Sevendust's third album, Animosity.

All the rest of the songs are Snot songs, but one of them had to be written explicitely for this tribute album, since there are 10 tracks left. Well "Starlit Eyes" is for certain one the songs, since a version of it exists with Lynn's vocals, under the name "Choose What?" This song is a frenzied, intense metal track that is passionate in either version (but especially in the version with Lynn.)

Using "Absent" as an archetype for the overall vibe of new Snot songs (and using Get Some as a pallette of musical devices characteristic to this band,) several equally dynamic tracks can be assumed to be would-be LP2 songs. "I Know Where You're At" is a song that develops quite gradually and is musically a trip in a way old Snot wasn't. Granted, the hip-hop beat in the intro was probably added when M.C.U.D. was the confirmed as the guest vocalist, but the rest of the track is clearly Snot in origin. "Requiem" is even creepier than "Absent" and would probably have been one of my favorite Snot songs. I can only imagine what Lynn would have done with it. "Reaching Out" is of a slower pace than any previous Snot songs but has the same dark edge as the rest of the music on here, and the last minute and a half or so is ethereal. "Take It Back" is musically one of the lesser of these songs, being a bit heavy in a more 'cliche' nu metal way than the other songs, but maintains a similar style and was probably set for release on the next album.

Snot also had a penchant for fun and fast punk songs, a description which can easily be applied to "Until Next Time" (which was written by Lynn himself) and "Funeral Flights." However, three tracks have almost no resemblance to anything else by Snot and one of these was probably written to accomodate the guest singer - "Forever,""Divided," and "Catch a Spirit." The first song actually does have some telltale Snot lead towards the end, so my money is either on the bubblegum-sweet "Divided" or the tribal "Catch a Spirit." They're just too tailored to their respective guest singers. Both are good songs, especially "Divided", although not standouts on the album.

It is clear that Snot's second album was going to be amazing, and it is more than a little frustrating that we will never get it or any other future output from this band. Having not known Lynn personally, I'm not going to pretend I feel the pain these people felt from his passing, but it did make me pretty sad - this effort affected me strongly when it came out and I think I have more appreciation for their personal loss through it.

It is a bit depressing to sit through this record once you know the lyrics, especially if you make it all the way to "Sad Air," but I recommend it strongly - musically it is an accomplishment and even if you don't care for one or more of the guest artists, there's a high likelihood you'll find at least a few songs on it that you like. It is a MUST for fans of the band, who where left wanting more after Get Some.

This is truely a tear jerker of an album for fans of Lynn Strait. I found myself brushing away tears or smiling at certain moments of songs that recount the exploits of the metal outfit Snot. Snots lead singer and his beloved dog Dobbs were killed in a multiple car pileup on a California interstate. The album is almost entirely a roaring metal masterwork but there are moments such as "Angels Son", a haunting ballad-esque song performed by the remaining members of Snot and several members of Sevendust. Lajons(Sevendusts lead singer) vocal and lyrical talents are a force to be reckoned with. The video is even more touching with his mother, his girlfriend, and members of bands who once toured with Lynn Strait coming together. Bradon Boyd of Incubus puts in his two bits as well with "Divided(an arguement for the soul)" a more aggressive song that mourns Lynns passing. The most compelling tracks come from Serj Tankian(System of a Down) "Starlit Eyes" and John Davis(Korn) "Take it Back" who seemed to have befriended Lynn on a personal level, and sang of his exploits and his lust for life. One of the most haunting and powerfull tracks however is performed by Snot as a whole, before Lynns passing. The song is titled "Absent" first appearing on the Strangeland soundtrack(the best version of the song, it starts with a gut wrenching scream from Lynn before diving into the song.) The Strangeland soundtrack has most of the artists on this tribute cd as well. It is a must have for fans of the metal genre as a whole. Take a look at it on Amazons search engine. Other artists who contribute to the tribute album include Mark Mcgrath of SugarRay, Dez of Coal Chamber, Corey of Slipknot, M.C.U.D of Hed(PE), Max Cavalera of Soul Fly and Fred Durst of LimpBizkit fame. If You enjoyed Snot or even just one of the bands who took part of this project then it is worth at least a listen, and likely your money, as it will be given to a charity in his memory. Long live the Spirit of James Lynn Strait and Dobbs.

Lynn Strait was going to make a huge impact on the music world, I just don't think this was the way he had in mind. This album has the great musical structure that any Snot fan will love, plus the variety of vocals from many good metal bands out there today. I think Dez from Coal Chamber, Jon from KoRn, and Lajon from Sevendust sing the strongest songs on the album. All the songs are great tributes, except one that I have not yet listened to the whole way through. The song Fred Durst sings is supposed to be a tribute, but before he gets anywhere in the song, he makes sure to plug himslef and his band. Basically, that's a slap in the face to Lynn and everyone who put their hearts into this album. The point was to remember a friend, not for the possibility of personal gain. Other than that, this album captures the life and power of Lynn on every track. Including the song 'Absent' (from the Strangeland soundtrack) only adds to the album. R.I.P Lynn and Dobbs.

Well, everyone has heard what has happened to Lynn Strait by now and how great he was. So after the funeral, the remaining members of Snot made this. When i heard about it, I planned on buying it right away. i just reviewed it cuz I actually have time on my hands. This thing has all of his friends singing and writing the lyrics with great results! Here's the summary of each track:

1. Starlit Eyes - Serj Tankian: Serj mainly talks through this one. It's a starter on who Lynn was.

2. Take It Back - Jonathan Davis: One of my favorites. Jon Davis always likes to talk about his pain in his songs. This time, it's no exception. He oviosley misses Lynn a lot.

3. I Know Where You're At - M.C.U.D.: MCUD and DJ Product team up for this for a softer melody. It was okay, another song about the pain.

4. Catch A Spirit - Max Cavalera: A high-powered song with high-powered lyrics that also kind of shows how Soulfly sounds (with 2 of the members). Talks about Lynn's spirit above us.

5. Until Next Time - Jason Sears: This is a fast-talking ballet (like all of RKL's songs). This is one of those songs I like for the beat also along with "Take it Back."

6. Divided (An Argument For The Soul) - Brandon Boyd: One of the best songs wheather you like it or not. It's the best song for comforting. You see when someone dies, they're really not gone.

7. Ozzy Speaks - Ozzy Ozbourne: well, since Ozzy dosen't sing Metal-Rap, Ozzy makes a :13 appearence on this track. It's a little note of Ozzy wishing his dear friend goodbye.

8. Angel's Son - Lajon Witherspoon: No wonder why this one was a single! It was the song completely made for the album. It talked about how much pain Lynn went through his whole life. 9. Forever - Fred Durst: Not great lyrics, but catchy, and for a good cause.

10. Funeral Flights - Dez Fafara: Another hardcore track talking about the spirit of Lynn.

11. Requiem - Corey Taylor: #8's song was a great chance for you to get to know him and his pain and rememberance of Lynn.

12. Reaching Out - Mark McGrath: A poppy, or, ah, less and less poppy 'til the end of the song where they have keyboards. But it's right, his face is a supernatural kind of face.

13. Absent - Snot: Snot's last recording together, and quite possibly, their best.

14. Sad Air - Lynn Strait: Just Lynn talkin' a bunch. very effective and sad. He talks a lot about his pain and stuff like that.

15. (untitled) - (hidden track): (Pointless track)

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This is a record I wish didn't have to exist. This record is the final epitaph for Lynn Strait, the most dynamic and exciting singer I have ever seen. This record is a tribute. The songs are what would have been Snot's second album, had Lynn lived to record the vocals. When he was killed, Mikey and Tumor decided to contact all of Lynn's friends and peers and asked them to contribute vocals to the already finished songs.

The songs are amazing. The music is incredible. Powerful, melodic, crushing and raucous, it is the classic Snot sound evolving to the next level. Mark McGrath of Sugar Ray said that if Lynn had completed this album with the band, it would have gone double platinum, and he's right. The hardest thing about listening to this record is knowing what might have been.

The first half of the album is the most powerful. Serj from System of a Down starts of with the poigniant and touching "Starlit Eyes", whose lyrics remind us of Lynn's sweet nature and his smile. Whenever I saw him, he was always smiling. Jon Davis (Korn) does a wonderful homage in "Take it Back", with the wrenching lyric "An angel in flight with a dog by his side." Brandon from Incubus contributes an emotional tribute in "Divided (an argument for the soul)", which reminds us that part of Lynn will always be with us.

The other great tracks on here include Corey from Slipknot on "Requiem", Jason Sears from Rich Kids on LSD on "Until Next Time", M.C.U.D. from (HED) P.E. on "I Know Where You're At" and Mark McGrath on "Reaching Out."

The most powerful song on this album, though, is the contribution from Clint, Morgan and Lajon of Sevendust. Their song (written by Clint Lowery and Morgan Rose), "Angel's Son", is beautiful and tragic. The video is a simple shoot of a bonfire on the beach where Lynn's friends and family are visited by his spirit... I cry every time I see it... the world needs to know about Lynn and what could have been for Snot. Thank you again, Sevendust. Your tribute speaks volumes.

The only weak spot on this album comes courtesy Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit. Fred's lyrics are (yet again) un-expressive, needlessly laced with profanity, and seem somehow crude next to the eloquence of Dez Fafara (Coal Chamber), M.C.U.D., Lajon and Brandon. While his peers were writing words like "I have a new life now / she lives through you", "You give us a gift and then you take it back" and "now you are free / freedom in the skies / now and then visit me / with your starlit eyes", I'm sitting here watching the "Angel's Son" video with tears running down my face and thinking "except for Durst, it was a beautiful tribute, and a beautiful way to say goodbye."

And, with the exception of Durst, it is. If you liked snot, go buy this record. If you've never heard of Snot, please go buy Get Some and then buy this record It has some of your favorite bands playing requiem for a soul who left us too soon. Never forget him. I won't.

Lynn Strait was the AMAZING lead singer for the AMAZING band Snot. Sadly, he died in a six-car accident near Santa Barbara in December of 1998, along with his bulldog Dobbs, the mascot of Snot and the cover-dog for their first album "Get Some". Snot was a band that I instantly fell in love with. Their sound was unlike anything I had ever heard. They were way ahead of their time and Lynn's incredible vocal talents have proved to be unmatchable. Needless to say, I was devastated when I got word of his untimely death. But his legacy lives on through this album as many of his friends have lended their voices to the intended music for Snot's sophomore effort. Also, Snot's last studio-recorded song "Absent" serves as a finale. (It was originally released as part of the "Strangeland" soundtrack.) A few of the stand-outs other than that brilliant song are "Divided" featuring Brandon Boyd of Incubus, "Angel's Son" featuring Lajon Witherspoon of Sevendust, and "I Know Where You're At" featuring M.C.U.D. of hed pe. Although many of them could never match the power of Lynn Strait, they do accomplish the task of giving him a well-deserved tribute. The idea of the cd was conceived and executed by other Snot members Mikey Doling (now of Soulfly) and John "Tumor" Fahnestock (now of Amen). Snot was truly an amazing band and Lynn Strait was, in my opnion, one of the best lead singers ever! It sucks that he had to die, but at least he got a loving tribute to send him on his way. (A few of the guest vocals are just ok, not fantastic. I know that if Lynn were alive and this had been Snot's second album instead, the rating would grade off the scale!)

Only recently did i learn what a great man and frontman James Lynn Strait was. But i was too late. Just wanted to let everyone know this is an incredible album, get it right away.

RIP Lynn and Dobbs, we all love and miss you.

...the idea of a tribute album featuring Strait's friends was a brilliant one imo. It is well exectued for the most part by Serj of SOAD, the guys from Sevendust, John Davis from Korn, and Boyd from Incubus. Other than that, other tracks dont' really stand out. However, Fred Durst of Limp spoils it all and writes a song that disgraces Lynn in every way. His lyrics, much like his new album is trash. Throughout his song, Forever, he uses un-necessary profanity and also for some reason says "Limp Bizkit FOREVER". It does no just to a man that had just died tragicly to have this piece of you-know-what FD ruin his album.

This album is a great tribute to Lynn Strait, the late singer for the band Snot. Strait tragically died in a car accident before their second album could be recorded. The music on Strait Up was written for the second album before Lynn's passing. The music is performed by the remaining members of Snot but the lyrics are written and performed by members of well known bands such as Korn, Limp Bizkit, Sevendust and Slipknot. All of these singers knew and loved Lynn Strait; this is evident in the albums powerful lyrics all of which either tribute Lynn's life or mourn his loss. This album is highly recommended to anyone who loved the band Snot and anyone who has lost someone close to them.

Personally this album really touched as being a huge fan of Snot's music and a very big fan of their late frontman Lynn Strait. This album single-handedly shows the music business hasn't gone to hell completely. People can still come together and show some true heart for a worthwhile cause. Snot made many a friend over the years from touring and mostly everybody showed up to pay tribute to a friend. The album kicks in with Serj of the great band System Of A Down and his touching number "Starlit Eyes" even in his screams you can the beauty of his voice and the sincerity in the lyrics he writes touch you in a way you can never imagine. But not everyone went about writing their song in the same way as Serj who uses hope, Jonathan of Korn,and M.C.U.D of (hed)p.e chose anger and pain. In "Take It Back" Jon blames god even going as far as calling him "a ... fraud" for taking his friend away, and M.C.U.D basically views himself going through torture for a sick game god is playing on him but is it hard to blame them for writing like this after all doesn't everybody feel that way sometimes after losing a loved one. Max of Soulfly tries to lift our spirits a bit with his composition "Catch A Spirit" (which also features Shavo of System Of A Down) in which he basically cries out to god to keep Lynn's soul safe and with all the grief Max has been put through in his life he is truly strong to get up and write songs like these and be able to rise above I have total respect for that man. Then onto Jason of the now defunct punk band RKL's contribution "Until Next Time" which gives a much needed boost of Punk Rock energy into the mix and when he shouts "I LOVE YOU LYNN!" who can help but agree with him. Then onto one of the more heartfelt tracks Brandon of Incubus's "Divided" which shows how even tragedy doesn't have to always be negative as Brandon suggest maybe he was done with this part of his life and maybe he moved onto something better. Ozzy says it all "we all miss you Lynn". Sevendust's lovely ballad "Angel's Son" is one of the song I can't really listen to without a tear at least gracing my eye beautiful is the only word I can say about this track. Fred of Limp Bizkit comes in next with his track "Forever" which at first might seem childish but their are some pretty strong words here ("Until somebody that you know goes away and dies they're gone forever"). The same can be said for Dez of Coal Chamber's track "Funeral Flights" which in all it's fury still shows sheds of hope. Corey Taylor's "Requiem" is basically a view of Lynn from a fan's eye and also features additional vocals from Mikey,and Tumor from Snot. Now onto in my opinion the best track on the album "Reaching Out" which features Mark of Sugar Ray and Whitfield Crane of Ugly Kid Joe fame. Like "Angel's Son" whenever I hear this song it is hard for me to not shed a tear especially when the piano comes in. Then onto the song that blows it all way "Absent" by the spectacular Snot and stands as a living testament to one of the best bands ever! The track "Sad Air" gives people who didn't know or know of Lynn a look into his personality and the closer "3:13" by DJ Lethal gives a nice look into what Snot was all about. All in all this album is a great purchase for anybody who is interested in Lynn or Snot and anybody who was a fan. Just Buy It! Lynn and Dobbs R.I.P (1968-1998)