Customer Reviews

Sucker's Dream

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

 

 

Following up their superb first album "Good, Reckless and True", "A Sucker's Dream" is a stellar and solid mix of beautiful ballads and earthy rock melodies. Tim Warren's voice holds an emotional presence that articulates sincerity. I can not pick out any favourite song in particular as they are all worthy of a special mention. This album consists of perfect lazy afternoon tunes as well as songs with catchy, upbeat melodies. I can not stress enough how worthy this album is of your collection. The Alternate Routes are music's best kept secret.

I've had this CD in my car for a week now and it just gets better and better. The songs are great, and I often find myself singing the choruses as I walk around. Woke up this morning singing parts of "Ain't no secret." And wait til you see them in concert. "The Future is Nothing New" features a toolbox as a percussion instrument. It sounds good on the CD but the crowd goes wild when they play it on stage. If you like good rock music, you'll love The Alternate Routes.

I love The Alternate Routes. Their full-length debut, "Good and Reckless and True" was one of the best CDs of 2005 in my opinion; it was passionate, earnest, and organic. They followed this up with the highly respectable "Watershed EP", which certainly whet the appetite for this long awaited sophomore release.

"A Sucker's Dream" is no sophomore jinx, but I'm afraid it is not going to help make The Alternate Routes a household name - I hope I am wrong, because these guys have a monopoly on talent. I just don't think it is maximized on this record. Normally, vocalist Tim Warren contributes a rather extraordinary performance, but on this release he seems to take a backseat to everything else going on. That is a shame. I kept waiting for more spine-tinging moments like those experienced when listening to "Ordinary", but such moments never came. The songs are a bit busier, which is cool at times, but it often distracts from the organic feel that made "Good and Reckless and True" a winner for me. The one moment that is stripped down is the breezy "Desdemona", but this tune is so drawn out and dull even backing vocals from Patty Griffin fail to salvage it.

The good news is that The Alternate Routes have maintained their sense of melody and lyrical competence in the majority of the songs. One-liner gems like "The future's nothing new - just another day to miss the things we used to do" permeate the record. The chord changes are wonderful and Eric Donnelly's lead guitar work rivals that of Dada. And even though he seems to have avoided vocally challenging himself this time out, Tim Warren still sounds charming and soulful. Standout tracks include the festive "On and On We Whisper", "Ain't No Secret", the Lennon-esque "All a Dream", the high octane title track, and the very catchy and reflective closer, "A Better Way".

If you enjoy Ryan Adams, Matt Nathanson, or The Finn Brothers, check out The Alternate Routes.

Key Tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 11
Bill's Music Forum review

I bought the CD because I heard this band on Pandora.

The lyrics are strong and clear. My biggest complaint about contemporary pop and rock songs are the lyrics. I don't hear and understand them, so much that I've been questioning my hearing. However, this album was refreshing and clear.

I'd love to see them in concert to see how they sound live.

I discovered this band when they opened for Everclear a few years ago and was completely blown away! I immediately bought Good and Reckless and True and when this one came out I jumped all over it. If you are an old fan or a new fan, you will love this album. I love how they don't change their style of music just because it is a new album. I can't stand when bands do that. In this day in age when I am penny pinching and coasting on fumes...I do not regret at all the purchase of this album!

On their sophomore release, the Alternate Routes have picked right up where they left off with Good and Reckless and True. And, for that matter, whether they'd like to acknowledge it or not, it seems to many listeners that they've picked up where Train left off back in '06. Their sound, while not landmark, is still refreshing. The album starts off swinging with 3 solid tracks building up to "The Future's Nothing New," the first single release and a fitting companion to singles past ("Aftermath," "Time is a Runaway"). The album then backs off a bit and settles things down with the next two tracks before reviving things with "Toe the Line" and the title track. All in all, this is an album worth having and a band worth keeping tabs on.

A great rock mix with poignant lyrics and catchy beats make for a great album to listen and sing along to. Patty Griffin adds a little something extra to "Desdemona," and it's true--a toolbox makes a great instrument on "Future's Nothing New." The sounds are mellow and gentle, one ballad flowing into the next but still maintaining an individuality of its own. A great indie album!

The new album from The Alternate Routes is everything I would have hoped for. At this time however there is an error with the MP3 track "Desdemona" - it cuts off at 4:04 and the full song goes to 5:54. I've notified Amazon of this and they are apparently working on it but it has been a week or two and has still not been corrected.