Customer Reviews

Stranger Than Fiction

5 star:		(52)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

In a nutshell: Bad Religion rock, and they rock HARD. And Stranger than Fiction, despite being their "sellout" album (their first on a major label), which soured many long-term fans (as such moves inevitably do), is surely their most balanced, most accomplished, all-around best effort.

A friend of mine described Bad Religion as "punk with a thesaurus." And that's accurate, to a certain extent: how many other punk bands have a vocabularly which includes "sallow," "dichotomy," and "sagacious," or lyrical nuggets like "languid wills and torpid minds" or "poignant morose wonder"?

Nonetheless, this is by no means dispassionate intellectualism. Bad Religion may have a penchant for five dollar words, but there is powerful emotion behind them. Anger, yes, of course, is dominant: there aren't many tranquil punks. But, as Bad Religion chronicle and judge the follies of mankind, they convey a wide range of feeling: pity, sympathy, scorn, remorse, and equal parts hope and resignation, all backed with dark and ironic humor.

Sadly, this was Brett Gurewitz's last album with the band as a full-time member. The best songs here are his work: the title track (If I could fly/High above the world/Would I see a bunch of living dots/Spell the word "Stupidity"?), "Incomplete," "Better Off Dead," "Infected," "Hooray for Me...," "21st Century (Digital Boy)" -- all Gurewitz compositions, all insightful, funny, blistering, without drifting into joyless polemic as Greg Graffin has been known to do.

Final advice: crank up the volume, and play frequently.

This was the very first Bad Religion album I had ever heard, just as I was starting to get into punk in 7th grade. Years later, I am a huge Bad Religion fan, and if it wasnt for this album, that would not be the case. That being said however, let me make it clear that this is not their best album. Its not even in the top 3. Dont get me wrong, it is a great cd, but in comparison to their earlier recordings on Epitaph, well, it just doesnt compare. Lyrically however, Bad Religion remain on top of their game, despite what some other reviewers on this website say. You CANNOT look at this cd, or any other Bad Religion cd for that matter solely on the basis of music, or you will be missing half of the total package. The strong beliefs and sincerity of the lyrics have influenced me far more than the music has, and I can easily say that I have forgotten about other cds that have sounded like this musically, but just dont compare from a lyrical and intellectual standpoint. If you are a avid Bad Religion fan looking for another album to wet your appetite, then I strongly suggest this record. If you are a new fan looking to purchase your first BR album, then I would have to recommend either Suffer, No Control, or Against the Grain. A great cd none the less, and the one that started my affliction with Bad Religion.

Bad Religion leaving Epitaph for Atlantic?!?!? Selling out? New corporate style? Luckily not so! Bad Religion keeps their style and their attitude intact on this album. The fact remain though that the sound DOES change, it seems more "advanced" and produced than earlier, but the messages does not seem to have been flawed by the change of label(though the reasons for doing so elude me). I read a review where a mr. Brian Seiler claimed that punk rock was getting stupid, and Bad Religion represented this. I can agree to some extent in the first claim, although the second claim I find iresponsible. How can anyone find the lyrics to songs like Television, Slumber or The Handshake dumb?!?! "This album is not meant to be enjoyed on a philosophical level" and "If you read the lyrics to the songs, you'll get the standard flow of I-don't-want-to-grow-up anti-establishment rhetoric...". Does this mean that if something, be that a text or an idea is written so people can actualy understand it, that it is "un-philosophical" or unworthy? What exactly I am to put in to that I am not sure of.
Bottomline is that Bad Religion still offer meaningful and intelligent texts, without compromising.

To those that slag all post-Against The Grain BR albums, I say . . ARE YE DAFT??? This is probably firmly in second place on my list, behind the aforementioned ATG. *GASP* go all the "fans" who rail against the newer stuff . .

Why? Well, why not? This album has two things going for it. The first is a staple of this band, and that is a slew of fast songs that feature an abundance of that quality often neglected in punk -- melody! "Leave Mine to Me," "Better off Dead," and "Stranger Than Fiction" offer instantly memorable hooks that would work in pretty much any style of music. The harmonies in "Better off Dead" rival anything these guys have done.

The second endearing quality is likely a shocker for anyone used to hearing the same jackrabbit tempos and punk song structures from Bad Religion. Yes, they actually shake things up a bit by throwing a (kinda) ballad into the mix, as well as a (kinda) folk song. The two are "Infected," and "Slumber," and they really add some spice to what is otherwise just another solid BR album. I've read that BR supposedly added diversity to previous albums with touches of "metal," "hard rock," or "psychadelica," but the nuances were too subtle for my feeble mind. I always thought metal was hard rock. Go figger. This is the first album on which Greg, Brett and company do anything I would really consider genre-shifting in the least. And I likes it! It's not experimental punk on par with, say, "Zen Arcade," but c'mon! This is Bad Religion we're yammering about!

So, howl if you must that the boys have lost their youthful edge, but I call it maturity. The ruckus of "Incomplete" was all I needed to hear to be sure that they were still a punk band. What followed proved that a gift for melody doesn't go away once you hit 30.

I agree with the reviewer below, this was the weakest album I heard from Bad Religion (I only have 4 BR albums) but that doesn't necessarily mean that its bad I mean compared to the joke that punk music has turned into nowadays its like a masterpiece. Stranger Than Fiction is packed with great punk tracks that are filled with brilliant hooks and catchy lyrics like on previous Bad Religion albums it's also the first Bad Religion album I bought since I heard alot of great things and I wasn't disappointed the only problem is that the album needs a few more listens to appreciate. The best songs have to be Better off dead, The handshake (which is about greedy music executives) and the awesome punk track Infected with its yeah-yeah chorus line and Inner logic with its smart lyrics, 21st century digital boy is the big single release from this album and its worth checking out along with Marked and the great and catchy pop song Slumber and Incomplete was a great opening song. The only bad songs were Hooray for me and Tiny Voices which sound a bit generic, Stranger Than Fiction shows more mature musicianship from these guys and Greg is a good songwriter but I still preferred their earlier stuff since it sounded more raw and less mainstream, Suffer was a much better album in my opinion and its one of my favorites but still you should definetely check out this great album especially if you're looking for some proper punk rock music.

The last Bad Religion album wich deserves 5 stars. They managed to release 6 masterpieces in 7 years. Of course it had to end someday. But before Brett's departion, and dropping into Mediocrity. They released my favourite Bad Religion album, Stranger than Fiction.
It's my favourite because Greg's songwriting is at peak level here, the vocals NEVER HAVE BEEN BETTER. Wich you can hear immediatly after the opener "Incomplete".
"Slumber" is their best ballad ever, the best track "Inner Logic" is so great because of the catchy chorus.
This is BR's best album, even the terrible Rancid infested "Television" can't ruin that for me.
The european version is WAY superior to the US release, it has got two extra songs, "News from the Front" and "Markovian Process" wich makes sure the closes with a BLAST (and not with a rerecording of "21st centruy digital boy")

What can I say about Bad Religion? The band that has been leading punk rock since 1980 and continues to do so today. They are one of the most original punk bands ever! Better than the Dead Kennedys, better than the Misfits and dare I say it..better than the Ramones! In today's wave of pop-punk bands which only seem to sing about skating and not getting laid, Bad Religion is to punk rock what Rage Against the Machine was to hard rock. They offer meaning and substance behind their songs. Stranger Than Fiction is no exception. From the opening track "Incomplete" to the closing "20th Century Digital Boy" this album is almost flawless. I especially like the emotion behind songs such as "Slumber" and "Better Off Dead". Most people know this album for the song "Infected". Hell, it became an MTV buzz clip. While Bad Religion have acquired a bit of fame throughout their career, the have not compromised their ideals or their message. For this reason alone, I have to respect them. They still continue to release great albums today such as The Process Of Belief. If you are into punk rock and do not have this album, you are seriously missing out!

Out of the 5 BR CDs I own (Process of Belief, Generator, No Control, Gray Race and Stranger than fiction) Id have to say this is the weakest of the 5. Not that thats a bad thing mind you, far from it infact. Its just this cd takes (well it did for me about 4 listens before I started to love it). The sound they portray on this cd is a very straightforward simplistic approach compared to say for example the process of belief. Its still an awesome cd but it lacks the intensity that I was hoping for. Some really good songs are included on this album such as Leave mine to me, Stranger than Fiction, Tiny Voices, The Handshake, Individual, Better off dead and Hooray for me. However there are a couple of weak tracks like Television feat Tim Armstrong of Rancid fame and the revision of the classic song: 21st Century Digital Boy. However look through all the subtle gripes Ive made and you'll find yourself ROCKING out to this after a few attempts. Just dont buy it and think that it is as intense as their other work. Hope this review helped even if it was only a little.

This is such a great album. True to form Bad Religion punk rock to enrich your music experience and expand your vocabulary with words your high school teachers never taught you back in the day. Most notable songs are the title track, The Handshake, Better Off Dead, Infected, Hooray For Me, Marked, and 21st Century Digital Boy.
Why does everyone hate Television so much? Lint is so cool and the song has such a good message to it. Personally, I enjoyed it. Maybe it's just the people who write reviews (excluding me of course) who don't see the beauty of it.
Get this album if you like Bad Religion, you won't be disappointed.

I know many punks out there will disagree that this is one of Bad Religion's best, because invariably the older albums, such as Suffer and Against The Grain, come up as the most popular, (probably because they are more raw and "hardcore") but for what Bad Religion is and what makes them unique, such as incredibly intelligent, beautiful and socially-conscious lyrics, fast-paced, sharp melodies, and supurb vocals, this album is where they simultaneously attain it all. Their previous albums hit the mark with the lyrics and messages, but the band wasn't as musically developed as they are in this album. And in their more recent efforts, they've mastered the melody and vocals side of things, but, sorry to say it, Greg and Brett have let themselves slip where the lyrics are concerned. Brett said that he felt comfortable leaving after this album because it was an absolute high in his music-writing career, and i whole-heartedly agree. Stranger Than Fiction is one of the most brilliant songs i've heard to date, particularly in its lyrics (and getting curious young punks into the works of Kerouac and Hemingway and Thomas Wolfe (no, not Tom Wolfe) will effectively make the world a better place) and Better Off Dead and Infected are the kinds of beautiful, cathartic songs that bore a hole right into your soul. Hooray For Me is one of Brett's best lyrically, (although the rest of the members find the message questionable) and displays a definite Kerouacian influence, which he has unfortunately lost. Tiny Voices is where Greg hits the roof with his "human thesaurus" thing, and I read somewhere that with lines like, "the billions of tiny pinhole embers fade into the morning sky filled with poignant morose wonder" his lyrics seem to almost get the better of him, but to force punks to keep a dictionary beside their stereo is justification enough for his indulgence. This is an absolute must for anyone who wants to know just what punk music is capable of being, and one can only wonder how much more brilliant Bad Religion would be now (because despite slipping since STF, they're still one of the greatest bands out there) had Brett not quit after this album.