Customer Reviews

Vulture Street

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Forget their PR spin about taking a new direction with their music - if you fall for "our last record wasn't quite what we wanted but we're really happy with this one."

This is quintessential Powderfinger, and exactly what we've come to expect from this excellent band. Melodic medium-weight guitar based rock with a few nice balads and the occasional political statement thrown in for good measure. The production is high quality which serves their material and musicianship well. You'd be hard pressed to find another band of their quality with such consistency - their last three albums haven't had a weak moment.

A smart thing they've done is limit the CD to 11 songs, all of which are good. Too often the stuff at the end of a 15 track CD bring the whole thing down a peg.

Now, if they really had tried taking a new direction - and succeeded in doing so - this might have received 5 stars. I'll just have to settle for successful familiarity instead.

I don't remember why I bought this album in the first place, but this morning I loaded it up on my computer and started listening. It's a GREAT record. It's a straight up rock record: a couple of crunchy rock guitars, bass drums, and a tenor singer. You can get that anywhere. But it's the songwriting that makes this record stand out. Powderfinger has come up with some very catchy pop songs to suport their classic rock sound. If you're looking for something that has that radio-rock feel of the 70's but with a modern, today kind of sound, you should buy this record. Yes, it's six years old. I think I'll buy a new one from them too.

i have been a powderfinger fan for 5 years and cannot understand why they have not had hits in britain, maybe they are like a good wine rather than a can of warm fosters! brilliant last 3 albums, more more more!

From one of the few 'yanks' that review powderfinger albums - I must say that after praising their past works, I only have 'VERY good' (vs excellent/awesome) praise for this one. The powdies can rock, for sure, but a fair few of the songs just left me kind of wanting...and I really didn't want to *feel* this way, so I listened to this CD at least 20 times before writing this review, and I still feel the same. Even the somewhat rocky 'treat me like a dog' from Odyssey would be a welcome addition to this ordinary set from a band who I think is...well...one of the best in the WORLD.

So, why do I give it 4 stars? Well, because Powderfinger at (in my opinion) their not-so-best, is still GREAT. What a pain in the butt I can be! But hey, when Bernard and the boys get going, it is hard to resist. 'Beaches', 'On my Mind' and 'Rockin Rocks' are awesome (and what other band can use words like 'lexicon' and get away with it), and yes the CD 'flows' very well from song to song. Guess I was just looking for some more/better slower numbers akin to Odyssey 5 and Internationalist, but heck, these superstars have the all the right in the world to do up a rocker CD like this one, and the stakes were high being the biggest thing since Vegemite in Australia...

For some reason, the Powdies are simply ignored by US radio (except maybe in college), and it is a shame. I think because they are not 'flavor of the month' musically, the US record producers just chose to ignore. The Oils had their chance, but faded into oblivion in the US because all the CD's after 'Diesel and Dust' were just tooo 'Australian'. Not knockin the legends, but more or less trying to make a point about the US music market - if it ain't what they want, you are OUT (hey, ask Jimmy Barnes/Cold Chisel, one of my hero groups of Aussie rock). Powderfinger, as great as they are, just don't seem to 'fit' into what the music industry is here (CDs and radio). Beats the s*** out of me....

OFF my soapbox, this CD is a welcome to those who thought they got a bit too soft on their previous CD. There are really no duds on this, just a flow of steady high-quality rockers. There are some mellow moments (How far have we really come), but the majority are rockers. Those looking for a generous sprinkling of "My Happiness" - stay away. The other main criticisms seem to rotate around the lack of diversity on this CD, and I would have to agree...but lack of diversity does not make this no less than 4 stars in my book. Anything they do is gold in my book!!

After hearing this CD many many many times, in my opinion, the strong tracks on this album are: Love Your Way, Sunsets, Don't Panic, Roll Right By You, How Far Have We Really Come?, Pockets, and A Song Called Everything.
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HERE ARE THE FOUR SONGS THAT I CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF:

1) My favourite track is "Love Your Way". I think the WHOLE SONG is exceptionally good. It's hauntingly beautiful. It's one of my all-time favourite songs. Sometimes it sends shivers down my spine... here are some of the lyrics:

"And if I prove no good here I'll skip to where I should
It's only an imaginary vigil that we keep
You salvage what you need I'll take the love you leave

I love your way
I can't explain
What made me change

I'm wading in deeper ever deeper as I go
I drown the whole idea as I drift away from you
It's only and imaginary vigil that we keep
You salvage what you need I'll take the love you leave

And as the memory gathers dust, buried in its crust
Are the remains of what we've done and the seeds of what we just begun
And the city glow well it pulses on to the city hum"

2) The next consistently good song (for me) is "Roll Right By You". It is one of the more dynamic songs, and for that I like it. I love the lyrics to this one, for example:

"Are you in the situation to decide whether you really care?....... C'mon you know It's hard to complain about the way you live....... Just think, If the same thing happened to you, would you be, would you be, happy to walk in my shoes?....... I'm already tired of your chronic compassion fatigue....... Do you have the information to decide whether you really care.....
And then just before the 2:40 minute mark, one of the band members pulls off a guitar riff that would rival that of Slash from Guns N Roses! I like it! I LIKE IT!!

3) I absolutely LOVE the first minute of "Pockets", with the initial melodies & when he sings: "By now you know that I never arrived. I was too tired to move. I was gonna invent an elaborate excuse but I'm tired of them too". I could listen to that over and over and over again. Repeatedly. (and I have done) After than the song changes dramatically. It has sections that remind me a little of another one of their songs "thrilloilogy". I love the many distortion effects when he sings "I want you to staaaay... staaaaaaaay". People look at you strangely when you attempt to sing those lines on the street! HA HA HAAA!

4) A song called everything. I think the catchiest lines of this track have got to be: "I'll be your pawn, I'll be your king. I'll bear your scorn, I'll wear your ring." Ya gotta love that stuff. I love the last minute of this song too, it's a super-great ending to the album!

The thing I love about this band are that all the members are obviously super-talented. The lead singer, drummer, the guitarist & the bass guitarist are all just awesome. I think they have an original style, hell I think they've almost reinvented music.
Anyway, I am an Australian, currently living in another country, and whenever I start to feel homesick, I listen to THIS music and no other, and I *instantly* feel better. Thanks very much to all the members of Powderfinger for your truly excellent music. You are an inspirational band, you really know how to express your true-to-heart feelings to the rest of us - very well done! And I for one can identify with a lot of your lyrics... thanks again! YOU LOT ROCK!!

I am absolutely astounded that any fan of the bands' previous work would find this album to be anything other than superb. This album signals a definite return to 'rock' for the 5 boys from Brisy but they've managed to do it without compromising their integrity and reputation as one of the most intelligent and innovative rock bands around today.

The album pays homage to some of the great rock bands of our time and artists that have no doubt had a major influence on the P'finger lads like Zeppelin, Bowie & AC/DC. It has a very AC/DC meets Led Zeppelin sound to it but it's foundations are still built on the signature Powderfinger hooks & melodies we've all come to love. The lyrics and song structures are as always, second to none and the album flows nicely through all 11 tracks. Bernard Fanning's unique voice never ceases to amaze me, and on this album it soars above each track with more conviction and intensity than on any previous album. The band sounds like they are geting better and better with age which is no small feat considering the quality of their previous work.

This is definitely one of those albums that you'll find yourself singing along to for days on end as the infectious melodies take a hold of your subconscious. It's rock n roll baby. 5 stars no question!

I have listened to Odyssey Number Five and Internationalist and neither of them hold a candle to Vulture Street.I found Odyssey and Internationalist to be long winded and ever so pretentious.I'd always hoped that Powderfinger would cut out the timewasting that has marred a lot of their earlier songs.They've managed to do this and in the process have produced an album that's the best thing that they've done.
The sound of Vulture Street is like AC/DC with brains.It rocks out.Nearly all of the songs are marvellous.They really hit their stride on the trio of songs "Don't Panic", "Stumblin'" and "Roll Right By You".They are all bloody marvellous with brilliant hooks and a fabulous hard rock sound.There are no weak tracks on this album - merely a mix of excellent to very good.
From reading a lot of other reviews, 'Vulture Street' is being condemned as a failure by diehard fans.This disappoints me.In my opinion, 'Vulture Street' is the sound of a band who are no longer content to be the biggest band in Australia and are aiming to be the biggest band in the world.
It's great to be around today when so many bands are treating hard rock with a bit more respect than it has received in recent years.
In years to come, this album will seen for what it is - the landmark Powderfinger album.Hopefully it will be a huge commercial success as well.It deserves to be.The songwriting here is great.

For those who haven't heard Powderfinger, the closest (American) proxy I can think of is Matchbox 20 -- but just imagine it with sincere, thoughtful lyrics and none of the pop cliches. Odyssey #5 is one of my all-time favorite CDs (didn't leave my CD changer for over a year) and to my surprse, Powderfinger's follow-up album deserves every bit as much praise (I didn't think it was possible). This is a great complement to Odyssey #5 -- in many ways similar but with a rougher, guitar-driven sound. Where the previous album was more moody and thoughtful, Vulture Street simply rocks!

Vulture Street is an excellent album, and in my opinion, better than some of Powderfinger's previous efforts, although it all depends on taste. If you prefer slower songs, such as those on their older albums, then you might not like this album as much (although there are a few slower songs on Vulture Street). However, if you prefer something with a bit more punch, then i highly recommend this cd, whether you are already a fan of Powderfinger, or if you have a love of rock. This cd has cool guitar riffs and solos, and the majority of songs have an upbeat vibe (regardless of their lyrical themes). Songs range from slow to reasonably fast, so there is a nice mix. This album gives the band a chance to truly show their instrumental skills, and they don't disappoint. This album is a little different from their previous work, but it still feels familiar, which is a good thing. The change is neither good or bad, meaning that if you liked Powderfinger before, you should like this album. I highly recommend this album, as you can listen to it from beginning to end without skipping any undesireable tracks, a quality which is often hard to find with most albums. Buy it!

I'm not sure whether the people who wrote the previous reviews are all old geezers or anti-rock, but I would have to politely disagree with their reviews. Before Vulture Street I was no Powderfinger die hard fan, I owned Odessey #5, but otherwise I couldn't care less about them. I recieved the evolved Vulture Street for my birthday, I had no intentions of buying it! At first it failed to do anything for me, I would feed it into my stereo just to hear 'On My Mind'. Three months later, I haven't fed my CD player anything but 'Vulture Street'.

This album is a unique blend of blues and rock. The album kicks off with 'Rockin' Rocks' which displays their transition to a heavier kind of rock. Songs such as 'Since You've Been Gone' have been emotionaly driven by Bernard Fanning's (lead singer) mourning for his brother who passed away with cancer. Bernard's vocals have strengthened since Odessey #5, but this goes to show just how adaptive his voice is. The album is worth buying just for Darren Middleton's addictive guitar solo in 'Pockets'.

The boys have shown that they can do it without the orchestra and numerous backing vocals, and this time they've opted for the basics; guitars, bass, drums and Bernard's orgasmic voice. And in person, they play even better. I won tickets to see them on their 'Live on Vulture Street' tour when it came to Perth and I must say.. If the boys swing by your way on tour, it's a must to go and see them play. In concert they are 10 times better. In australia, truely sucessful bands are determined from their ability to play well live. This indicates why Powderfinger are Australia's No.1 band.

After unwrapping Vulture Street, I have since bought 'Internationalist' and 'Double Allergic'. I admit that I wasn't fond of the CD when I first heard it, but repetitive listening soon fixed that. I would strongly recommend buying or stealing Vulture Street, for new and old fans, and fans of Australian music it is a must have. Well Done Powderfinger!!!