Underneath the Surface

Prime STH | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 10, 2001)
• Original Release Date: 2001
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B00005LML3
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #148,514 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Prime STH's rock-solid debut is familiar-sounding yet distinctive. Taking their cues from the likes of Creed and the Cult, the Swedish quartet deliver melodic, dynamic, multilayered rock. Nearly every one of Underneath the Surface's 11 cuts is strong and radio-ready, if not wholly original. The musicianship, meanwhile, is brawny and assertive; singer/guitarist Noa Modenâ's voice is passionate, pleasing, and powerful, but without being unique. Nonetheless, it's impossible to resist such thoughtfully produced, carefully crafted songs as the irresistible title track and "In My Head," which segues seamlessly between spare verses and rocked-up choruses. Other gems include "My Evil Friend," the punky Bush-meets-Nirvana "24 Song," and the lush, midtempo "Even the Score (No One Else)." --Katherine Turman

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Straight out of Sweden..., July 12, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Underneath the Surface (Audio CD)

"Underneath the Surface" is the debut album from Prime sth, a Swedish rock band on the rise. (In fact, the "sth" is a tribute to the city of Stockholm.) This 11-song CD is packed full of aggressive, energetic, original songs. The lyrics are interesting, and vary from song to song (sometimes uplifting, sometimes darker). The CD is a mixture of different styles and speeds, but is mainly alternative rock (but it also dives into metal and grunge).

I originally heard the song "I'm Stupid (Don't Worry 'Bout Me)" on the radio and really liked what I heard. I didn't know who it was, so I searched around the internet to try to find out who it was from. I found their website and listened to some of their samples, and was impressed enough to buy it the next day. Other songs I like include "Believe," "In My Head," and "Let Me Bleed."

Overall, I really like this CD. Personally, I'm into stuff like 3 Doors Down, Fuel, and Oleander. So, if you like those bands, or just rock in general, you should check them out. Prime sth looks to be very successful in America. Let's hope to hear more from them in the future!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweden's Finest, August 8, 2001

By 

Jade Dawson (Longview, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Underneath the Surface (Audio CD)

Being what I would call Sweden's finest, Prime STH's cd Underneath the Surface is sure to not disappoint. Their music is addicting and will bring you immediate joy. 'I'm Stupid', the lead single, pulsates with feeling and makes you a part of the song. One of the best I have heard in a while, they are destined for greatness. Grab the cd while you still can.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars ... More Than Meets the Eye, September 18, 2008

By 

Luke Rounda "ThreeStarSmash.com" (Lawrence, KS) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Underneath the Surface (Audio CD)

To a small minority, Swedish alt-rockers Prime sth hit the airwaves around the same time it was uncool for the same minority to like Nickelback. (Yeah, they were "cool" before they were famous to some.) The sadrock anthem "I'm Stupid" bumrushed local alternative stations with much less grassroots velocity than many popular songs at the same time, including the insipid, career-making "How You Remind Me."

But "I'm Stupid" still left a taste on a few listeners' palates. If you go in expecting yet another crapfarm of subpar tunes padding out the big single, imagine the surprise to be had at discovering that Swedes actually don't believe in "filler," even when they're writing radio tunes.

Make no mistake: Prime sth are absolutely, unapologetically post-grunge, mainstream "alternative rock" the likes of early Bush, or (at least at first glance) countless indistinguishably whiny butt-rock bands like Revis, Default or Hinder. Yet there's something uniquely energetic about their take on the sound they've adopted.

Let's get a picture going. First of all, speed everything up beyond the sludgy, lumbering pace of a mildly-retarded rhino enjoyed so fervently by some of the aforementioned bands. Think Nevermind-era Nirvana with Garbage production values. Then witness the introductory slide riffage of "I Don't Envy You" give way to a sweet and noisy bass-driven groove, then a dark, moody break, then an explosive chorus. Or the breakneck (for radio)-paced, neutered punk swagger of "24 Song." Even the slower moments, like the plodding "From the Inside," step on the gas for that all-important "wake up and pay attention" chorus.

Prime sth understand the need for variety in composition if they want to keep listeners entertained. Even if they do work within pre-formed molds, what they produce is massively enjoyable, windows-down, noisy rock. If you liked "I'm Stupid," the majority of the tracks here reside in the same tried and true loud-soft-loud, turnarounds and angst-plus-volume equals carthasis vein.

It's certainly lasted longer than Silver Side Up has for anything outside of catching the sweat from soda cans on my coffee table.