Customer Reviews

United By Fate

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Walter most likely capped his indie/punk/hc hall-of-fame status back in the Quicksand days, and could have easily faded away and still have been thought of as a legend in his field. But the fact that his new group still has the same flair, shifting power, and striving nature as his previous outfits is certainly heartening.

So much good music of the last few years has been sucked into the "emo" whirlpool, resulting in a curious dilution of quality, while at the same time not really advancing any ground. But when I hear this, I hear music being done on its own terms. No self-conscious sap, no saccharine twisted love songs, no wallowing in various stages of self-pity. Just real conviction manifested in an angular power-driven sound. I really don't see too much groove-oriented material that would compare directly to Quicksand's final effort (Manic Compression) but at the same time the layers inherent in this Rival Schools effort make the music deeper and more durable to repeated listens.

The galloping yelling stride of previous days might be gone, but don't think that the fellas have gone soft yet. While the tunes might not make you wanna holler and jump, they just might make you think. Though I can't say I don't totally wish for maybe just one track of stomping beat work. But this certainly qualifies for a "Best of 2K1" list. If only bands like Rival Schools and Jets To Brazil were the rule instead of the exception to aging indie superstars.

Sometimes the demise of a great band is just the birth of a new one; when Quicksand called it quits (again) I thought for sure I had seen and heard the last of one of the best in the genre of what has been termed "emo-punk", "post hardcore", or "emo-pop," but ex-frontman of Quicksand Walter Schreifels must have had a backup plan. Joining forces with ex-CIV members Cache Tolman and Sammy Siegler and adding in Ian Love of Burn rounded out a fantastic cast who all bring unique flair and stylings to Rival Schools. Just like in Quicksand, Walter has written a superb album; emotional and heartfelt lyrics express gut-wrenched pain ('Undercovers On', 'Favorite Star', 'World Invitational' all standout) and yet do not browbeat the listener with trite and mundane power-pop crap (see Blink-182 for that.) I don't want to belittle or assume I have some keen insight into the lyrics, so I will spare you the requisite "I am the reviewer, let me tell you what he means" analysis. Each song has some fantastic elements: Tolman's driving bass lines with power chords from Walter and Ian, Warped-tour drumming from Sammy that drives home the feelings being pushed by the lyrics, and the pure precision of the quiet stanza-loud chorus didactic pair. I am a huge fan of Quicksand and always will be, but I think I must point out that the style started in Quicksand has been perfected here in Rival Schools. Just an opinion, but the songs feel tighter, the lyrics more full, and the music is almost unparalleled...

I loved Walter in Quicksand and didn't expect United by Fate to be anything but extraordinary. I just got back from seeing Walking Concert in Cleveland, and I am again amazed. Definitely a good wholesome album for those of you who like good music. Walter does it again.

I used to listen to rock of all types until the music was hijacked by a bunch of whining angry teenagers (nu-metal) and whining sad teenagers (emo). I rellocated most of my musical taste to the fascinating world of electronic music but I still managed to buy a few rock records every year. This is one of the ones that was well well worth it....Basically it sounds, sincere and powerful. But more than anything its solid. I don't exactly know what I mean by this but I guess I feel as if most of the rock nowadys is either obtruse, boring indie crap or simplistic drivel oriented towards selling itself as pop...basically no substance or true consistency on the records. This however reminds me alot of great alternative albums of the past...the kind of accomplished albums that grow on you until you can't fathom putting it on without listening to the whole thing through. Great.

Rival Schools are basically the stereotypical late 90's alternative rock band. Their songs have simple structures and power chords. This isn't a groundbreaking record, and there is a huge lack of originality.

Yet for some reason, they were able to make something amazing. I'm usually one for the interesting, original, and unheard of. But the amazingly catchy pop-rock tunes on this album have been stuck in my head forever without getting stale. "Undercovers On" is one of the most beautiful songs in my memory, and "The Switch" never gets old. This record is perfect for 90's nostalgia, even if you have never heard any of the songs on it.

I question whether a 5 star review is appropriate, as this stuff isnt new or original, and these guys are hardly geniuses. Hell, they were probably lucky. But if I judged it on what it meant rather than how it sounded, it would be irrelevant. I'm judging it by the songs, and the songs scream perfection.

This isn't a bad album, by any means. Rival Schools' strengths here are the dynamic songs like 'Travel By Telephone' and 'Used For Glue'. What makes this album less-than-outstanding is an abundance of songs with monotonous dynamics and wandering, distracted-sounding melodies [such as 'Undercovers On'].

A previous reviewer has described this as "the most mediocre album ever." That's a bit of an exaggeration, but it's not all that far off the mark.

I don't regret buying a used copy.

Quicksand where one of my all time favorite bands. Like Fugazi and Burn, they introduced me to the then-exciting world of post hardcore. Sadly, things today have not gone so well. In the mid 90's, a legion of kids who resemble Weezer's Rivers Cuomo, have an unhealthy obsession with lyrics focusing on bad relationships and who are fond of whining and screaming terribly within the same song hijacked the genre and quickly turned it into the abomination we now know as emo. Bands like Thursday, Thrice, Saves the Day and so forth are nauseating examples of this.

So when mighty Quicksand broke up I had my doubts that Walter might jump on the bandwagon and sound like a carbon copy of said bands. I never gave Rival Schools a chance when they came out, but listening to this album I've found I missed out on a very good endeavor from one of the NYC hardcore scene's most prolific veterans. Is United by Fate a post hardcore record? No. Is it an emo recond? Thankfully no. Basically, Rival Schools debut is a well produced and well written alt rock album. One of the strongest reasons this stands out from the rest of the crybaby-in-cardigan-sweater shoegazer crowd is Walter himself. His voice is not weak or whiny, he sings with poetic conviction and his songwriting talent are beyond anything some moppy haired Midwesterner could ever achieve. There are some moments on this record which could definitely be described as good rock n' roll.

So, not a new Quicksand, but not a bad band either. Shame they split, but not ashamed I gave this album another listen.

This is simply the best album of the last ten years. You must buy this album. It will brighten up your life.
Thats all I have to say because this album will leave you speachless.

Let's face it: if you're an avid listener of un-mainstream sounding alternative rock, then the music world has been pretty drab.

Well, that has changed. I've bought many many CDs within the last year, a lot of them great discs...but not until I bought Rival Schools' debut album, United by Fate did I find my favorite disc released in the year of 2001. I downloaded an MP3 of "Travel By Telephone" and I was so impressed by the track that I went out and bought the album right away. The listen on the way back in the car showed to me that this is an EXCELLENT album. While every band on the market is out there to copy each other's sound, Rival School has the freshest sound I've heard in YEARS. Most of the time when you buy an album you have to skip around to find good songs, but for United by Fate, I just let the whole album play through. Every single song is worth a listen. I love this album so much, that I've probably listened to it about 20 times within a 2 day span...I've NEVER played any of my CDs that many times in two days. I mean...I'm so into this group now, I even ordered a Rival Schools T-Shirt within the first 6 hours of me owning it!

BUY THIS ALBUM. NOW! And, I know that some of the members in this band were from the band Quicksand...and that doesn't mean much to me, because I've only heard one Quicksand song...so I don't know how Quicksand fans will take this album...but for the rest of you: buy this album!

These guys write some good songs. Very catchy, poppy even. I don't like pop or pop punk, but I like this. Lots of meaty hooks and bile burning anthems. There's definitely some Quicksand in here, and some tongue-in-cheek Nirvana as well. It's fun AND exciting. The album is very well produced. Good drums (key), lots of congruous sound, lots of variety. I haven't felt this good about an album after one listen since the last At the Drive In came out. Get it today, seriously