Survival Story

The Flobots | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 16, 2010)
• Original Release Date: 2010
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Republic
• ASIN: B0036ZKLRI
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #94,592 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist

The world is an island now. The water level is rising. Who will turn the tide? When we last left Flobots, there was a war going on for your mind. Apathy, fear, and militarism reigned. Many people failed to understand their own power. Flobots responded by waking people up, bringing them together, and telling them they were not alone. They used broad-brush strokes to paint giant murals supporting peace, hope, and change. On the charts and at the ballot box, these slogans had an effect. The mood of the populace shifted. Now, those murals have begun to crack and fade. People are taking a closer look at what's behind the slogans, and seeking to come to terms with what they find. Exhaustion. Hypocrisy. Ego. Frustration. Quagmire. Wars with no exit strategy. Lifestyles that are non-sustainable. American flag bandanas made in China. Everywhere, we are encountering limits. Enter the Flobots once more. The situation is more complicated now. The populace is cautious and jaded. The old slogans will not suffice. What is needed is new story. Survival Story is a vision of hope for a world facing its limits. While others revel in the dystopian, the Flobots remain committed to their ability to rise together. Navigating the coming years will require new tools. It will require narratives that cause us to reexamine our priorities, redefine wealth, and re-inspire ourselves. It will require that we come together in the face of death and write the story of our own survival. Paying it back, paying it forward. Six Flobots dedicated to social action, change and thought. Two MCs, childhood friends Jonny 5 and Brer Rabbit, began Flobots organically, looking for like-minded musically inclined individuals. Enter viola-wielding Mackenzie Roberts and guitarist Andy Guerrero who made Flobots their home in 2005. Bassist Jesse Walker and drummer Kenny Ortiz completed the roster. The Denver collective grew their audience by playing live shows and cultivating a strong following of people who loved the combination of live music and social awareness. The rocket launched; Flobots' Fight With Tools raced up the charts, bolstered by the Top 5 single "HANDLEBARS" and "RISE." One of the most buzzed-about newcomers of 2008, they sang on Late Night Television (The Tonight Show, Conan O'Brien, Carson Daly), led followers for change with a high-charged performance at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, performed in Washington, DC on election night and toured the United States and Europe. Lead single "WHITE FLAG WARRIORS" is a breath of fresh air against the backdrop of jingoistic, ole glory waving war. The band is courageous enough to wave the white flag, not for the sake of surrender, but for the idea of unarmed negotiations. Tim Mcllrath from Rise Against joins Flobots on the chorus reminding listeners "this is love, not treason." PRODUCED BY MARIO CALDATO JR. (Beastie Boys, Beck, Jack Johnson, Moby)

Product Description

2010 release from the American Rock/Hip Hopsters. Survival Story is a vision of hope for a world facing its limits. While others revel in the dystopian, the Flobots remain committed to their ability to rise together. Navigating the coming years will require new tools. It will require narratives that cause us to reexamine our priorities, redefine wealth, and re-inspire ourselves. It will require that we come together in the face of death and write the story of our own survival. Paying it back, paying it forward. Lead single. 'White Flag Warriors', is a breath of fresh air against the backdrop of jingoistic, ole glory waving war. The band is courageous enough to wave the white flag, not for the sake of surrender, but for the idea of unarmed negotiations.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Survival Story: A Great Follow Up!, March 16, 2010

By 

Dathen M. Johnson "D-Rad" (MN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Survival Story (Audio CD)

Last year around this time I ended up stumbling upon this band, trying to find a new metal band to get into. After listening to several bands that sounded almost exactly alike, and feeling bored, I somehow ran into these guys; and it was such a breath of fresh air compared to what I was listening to prior and obviously it was the exact opposite of what I was looking for. Instead of heavy music with some jackass screaming his throat out of commission, I got a fusion of the Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against the Machine, Dave Matthews band, Yellowcard, and two mc's who have quite an original style, and a flow that lives up to the band's name.

Fight with Tools ended up turning into one of my favorite albums that I found last year, and the follow up album to their 2007 major label debut is defiantly an excellent follow up to that album. It takes everything that I loved from that album to the next level. It's heavier, slightly darker in themes but at the same time (and somehow) very upbeat in the music, and musically a lot more technical than the last album. I'm on my sixth listen right as I'm writing this, and I can already say that this album is probably better than the last album, which I honestly wasn't expecting. I didn't think they could beat their last album, but I think they just might have, though it will take many more listens to know for sure.

The album opens right away with a bang with two very heavy tracks with very impressive rapping on "Crack's on the Surface" & "The Effect", then the album slows down a little bit with "Defend Atlantis", a song that reminds me the most of the last album's all around vibe. "If I" then kicks in with some very impressive rhythm on the drums & bass. The song slightly reminds me of Gorillaz for some reason.(?) Defiantly sounds like a great one to sing along with at a show, even with its slower pace. Next comes the heavy hitting "White Flag Warrior", the first single featuring Tim from Rise Against. Hopefully you've heard it by now. The next song, "By the Time You Get This Message..." is one of my personal favorites on this album. The overall sound of it is just really interesting. It starts out with a Flea type bass line with industrial sounds all over the place, with a Tom Morello sounding guitar riff eventually kicking in. Those are just a few samples of what is in this song. It's defiantly a song worth checking out."
Airplane Mode" follows up the previous song. It's a slower & moodier song with great rapping on it; defiantly one of the softest songs on the album. "Whip$ & Chain$" follows with a great beat, great rapping (of course) with a really strong chorus. It's a pretty standard sounding Flobots song to pretty much sum it up. Next comes "Good Solider", another slower song and by far the softest on the album. It's a very beautiful song opening with a great viola intro and beautiful singing from Mackenzie Roberts. "Super Hero" is a very touching song and I wouldn't be surprised if it eventually became a single; another one to defiantly check out. The album picks up again with "Infatuation", a very catchy song with excellent rapping from Johnny & Brer. Matt Morris is great in the song as well, even though I have no idea who he is. "Panacea for the Poison" ends the album. It's defiantly not as good of a closer as "Rise" was, but good none the less.
What you can expect from this album is great music, amazing rapping, powerful lyrics with strong messages and an album that will most likely stick with you for years. To me, it's the perfect follow up to their last album and much better than I could have ever expected it to be. I'm just hoping that it gets the attention that it deserves.
Really the only flaws of this album are a) the album could have had a stronger closing track, like I've already stated and b) it doesn't have the song "Combat" on it... :P
Favorite Songs as of now:
Cracks on the Surface
The Effect
If I
By The Time You Get This Message
Whip$ & Chain$
Superhero
Infatuation
I'm really looking forward to the follow up to this one! If you haven't yet, check this album out, it is worth listening to and adding to your collection. If you haven't heard anything from these guys, defiantly look into them and check out the last record along with J-5's album & their first EP if you can find it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great album, not as good as their last, March 26, 2010

By 

Nic Halabicky (CA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Survival Story (Audio CD)

I am a huge fan of the flobots and their message, i loved Fight With Tools to death, it's absolutley incredible, it's so fresh with that violin and rap beats and the occasional trumpet. The whole sound is just so unique and amazing. This album, is great, for today's music, but it's not as good as their last album. If you're new to The Fobots get their last album first because it's better. Anyway, one of my biggest fears about this album is that they would lose what made them original in the first place. I've seen it happen to a lot of great bands, they release their first hit album, and it's awsome!and they're launched into the mainstream. When their next album comes out, you're all axcited about it, and when you hear it, it sounds like every other band out there. The problem is the record company and whatnot but I won't get into that. But I'm glad to know that The Flobots did not fall to this! this album sounds almost as unique as the last. There's alot of rapping on it though, I would say almost every song. On the last album, their was more diversity.
Anyway my favorite songs include defend atlantis, (the last half of the song is amazing) white flag warrior, (while this song sounds a little too mainstream, i still like it) good soldier, (really like the melody on this one) ad superhero. but i really like all the songs on the album.
umm, anyway i think you should get it!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hip-Hop(e) instead of Hip-Hype, April 11, 2010

By 

E. Constantineau "Waiting for Godot" (New Hampshire) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Survival Story (Audio CD)

In an age where jaded ennui-laden lyrics swamp public discourse and narcissistic musicians jostle for the next photo session, The Flobots are such a refreshing alternative. "Survival Story" is more earnest and more autobiographically fragile than the Flobots' last effort, and for that it is more rich, and indeed, even more hopeful. The Flobots remind us that we will be battered by ever-rising tides, but they also encourage us to stand firm and keep on fighting with the tools we have. Every tme I see the Flobots perform live and every time I listen to "Survival Story" I am reminded not to give up. As long as the Flobots keep on hoping, so will I.