Customer Reviews

Underneath the Surface

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"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!

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.

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.

The nation of Sweden is home to a great variety of music. You've got power metal (Hammerfall), doom metal (Candlemass), prog. rock (Flower Kings), melodic death (too many to name), and don't forget Meshuggah (They're in a class of their own.), but one thing there isn't a lot of is alternative rock. Prime STH is a rare exception.

This is a really solid album. It reminds me a lot of Tonic, only a bit harder rock. Noa has a great melodic voice, and it works well with the heavy guitars. "I'm Stupid" is the standout track. Nice power ballad type song. "24 Song" is a good hard rocker to end the album, and "Even the Score" is nice as well.

Not much to say here except buy this. They may not be as popular as Lifehouse or the Calling, but they're way more talented.

I have had this CD for over 3 weeks and can't take it out of my CD player. This CD offers the listener soo many great and diverse sounds. I love every song on the Cd, it the best I have bouhgten in the longest time. If you love music you NEED to buy this one. Do yourself a favor and see them live too! (website)

Pardon my language, but this cd kicks @$$! I just love it! the songs have this upbeat heavy feel to it. The lyrics might be mediocre but the guitar playing is fantastic! BUY THIS CD!!! YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPOINTED!!!

After the first few listens of this album, I feel like its gonna be a hard one to stay away from. "Im Stupid" is one of the most addictive songs that i have heard since Fuel's "Shimmer". All and all the cd doesn't range too much which isn't a bad thing. The one song that breaks the mold is "24" which is kinda a off kilter punk rocker. Buy it, you wont be disappointed.

Every somg on this cd is great. Certainly one the best recent cd's I have heard. This cd is alot like Forty Foot Echo - every song is great, they have a very similar style and sound, the vocals are awesome, the whole cd is great. I persomnally think Forty Foot Echo is a more talented group of musicians, with a little more diversity, but I love both of these albums. Hope to hear more from Prime sth.

I have been listening to Itunes radio at work and every now and again here something decent only to hear snips from Amazon and re-think about purchasing the Cd. I heard this group at work one day and listened to the tracks on Amazon and liked the first two songs and bought the CD for a whopping 1 cent from Amazon. I have listened to the CD three straight times at full volume in my truck and was amazed. Every track is great. How this band slipped by me I should never know. Their second album was discontinued so I bought it from Real Rhapsody. The groups first album is better, but this is not to say that the second is bad. It is good in it's own way. I just wish that they were still playing today. anyone who would rate the first album as bad knows nothing about good music. It is so refreshing to see a group come from somewhere else then the UK or USA. Buy this album, you shall not be disappointed!

I was in a spending spree one day, picking up various CD's and by chance, I picked this one up because I loved "I'm Stupid (Don't Worry About Me)". This ended up being the best purchase I made that day, I don't even remember what else I got in that transaction.

The genre this CD fits under might sound tired, but once you start listening, you can't put it down. Prime STH has a definitely unique sound and can diversify between songs and between other artists in this calibre, which there aren't many of. While there were some slower songs that I didn't enjoy a huge amount ('Even the Score' being one of them) the whole CD feels radio-ready. 'Underneath the Surface', 'My Evil Friend', '24 song' and 'I'm Stupid (Don't worry about me)' are highlights to an already bright album.

Kudos to Prime STH if they can pull off another fantastic album with 'Beautiful Awakening', something we've had to wait three years for. But if first impressions are any indication (and the first single 'Fishbowl' is a huge splash in the water) than this may be the best under-rated band out of Scandinavia.