Customer Reviews

War Stories

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The third proper release from UNKLE shows Lavelle departing from his previous aesthetic and moving toward a more "rock"-oriented sound. After a good few weeks of listens, I think Lavelle has reached rarefied air with War Stories. War Stories was painstakingly crafted in the studio, yet the recording sounds effortless, almost inevitable. The tracks gain momentum as the record proceeds. The blending of electronica and rock feels unstudied, and I think gels even better than his work with PF and NNL (no hate mail please). No question War Stories is a different album than its predecessors, but no doubt a progression in both production and songcraft. Several contributors lend their pipes, and there is not a single misstep. And notably, it is a genuine pleasure to hear Ian Astbury, especially for those of us who have been starved for something from him for years. Any fan of UNKLE's previous albums probably has a taste that spans both rock and electronica--War Stories is well worth your time. Best UNKLE album in my book. Consistent from beginning to end.

I find it hard to see why some reviewers have characterised this as bland or unoriginal. From first listen it was clearly an UNKLE record - slow melodic intros followed by discordant guitars and thumping drums or electro bass sounds. Not the classic that NEVERNEVERLAND was, but how could anything match the brilliance of that album? What you get is a great collection of electronic infused rock songs that blows most of the current indie competition away. This is not a singalong album, but a pulsating mix of atmospheric rock tunes that should be played in the evening and enjoyed with a glass of good wine.

First off, I am quite new to the world of UNKLE, having only recently discovered their first two albums while searching for music that might be similar to Massive Attack. So...no preconceived notions about the new album when it came out. To longtime fans (and two albums is barely "long time"), it may come as a disappointment, but to a newbie like myself, always on the hunt for something new and exciting in the increasingly tired world of "rock" music, I just found this to be an exciting, unpredictable, and highly original group of songs that almost re-defines what "rock" can be. Sonically cool, with songs that range from trippy to rocking and everything in between (even the non-album bonus tracks are excellent), I think this is one of the best albums I've heard this year. Everything is sounding the same now, folks! Give credit where credit is due!

After being monumentally disappointed by DJ Shadow's last release 'The Outsider', I must say that I am pleased with UNKLE's latest 'War Stories'. I am sad that this album isn't being plugged more. I randomly stumbled upon it at my local record store.

In college, I was a huge fan of DJ Shadow's Endtroducing, which lead me to UNKLE, due to Shadow's semi-involvement. Whereas Shadow went in a completely different direction on his last album, UNKLE/James Lavelle sticks to what got him here in the first place, which I have always liked.

I was giddy as soon as the fast-paced mashing of the drums kicked in pretty early on. The album has a really dark edge to it, hence the War Storiese name. The music, as always, is great. Lots of layers/textures; it's very impressive for an "electronica" act.

I did not expect so many vocals on the album though. When I initially opened up the booklet before listening, I saw Vocals on almost every track and though "Uh-oh, this might be a bad sign." But have no fear, the vocals are all very good and complement the music nicely. The vocals are almost used like another layer/texture in addition to the music.

A very solid album start-to-finish. It feels more like a big cohesive piece of music more than it does a collection of individual songs. If you're a fan of UNKLE's previous work, or a fan of DJ Shadow's pre-Outsider work, I recommend picking it up.

I had a good transaction for purchase of this album, and this is my favorite UNKLE album out of the 5 that I have. It is some kind of techno radiohead massive attack dj shadow brilliance that I'm glad I stumbled upon.

This album is amazing! There are no words to describe how well I connect with this album. It has a certain vibe to it that I cannot explain. I tried to compare this artist by mashing up two or three different ones and I cannot put my thumb on it! There are only a couple songs on the CD which do not connect with me.

Burn My Shadow (feat. Ian Astbury) is an absolutely phenomenal song. A clip of it is in the new Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood video game trailer commercial. That song, Broken, Lawless and Chemistry are among my top favorite songs on the CD.

The song "Chemistry" is sampled in Lupe Fiasco's "Hello/Goodbye (Uncool)".

Throughout this album you will find expertly intertwined: piano, guitar riffs, deep bass, both guitar and drums; great vocals, and killer percussion.

Go ahead and listen to Broken 30-second sample on this website. I highly recommend this album.

Great album, original mix of instruments and electronic sounds. I hear something new with each listen. This is quality underground music...it's hard to find any quality and real talent with all the commercial garbage out there these days.

the second i heard this album it clicked with me. i love it. its so creative and so well done. beautiful melodies and beats and everything. Keys to the Kingdom is one of the best songs i have ever heard in my life. this album needs to be heard by you if you havent heard it yet

Although I have, and have enjoyed, UNKLE's first album, I had kind of forgotten about them until I came across the video for "Restless" on an on-demand cable music video station. I was blown away by the new sound. Although the tone hasn't changed - the music is still dark, atmospheric, and dense - replacing the trip-hop with rock instruments has completely reinvigorated the sound.

Aside from this stylistic change, what I love about the album is that, despite its dark tone, most of the songs seem to be about spiritual yearning. On "Hold My Hand" James Lavelle asks "Do you search for meaning?" while on the following track, "Restless", Josh Homme vows to "follow the light to the love." Later, Ian Astbury describes his desire to "burn my shadow away". "War Stories" captures desperate yearning for redemption and connection in a troubled world.

This might be the best UNKLE to date. Some might say it is too rock, but UNKLE has always had tracks that were rock. Wish I could see them live. Anyway this pick-up is a no choice if your a fan of UNKLE or just an admirer of good experimental electronic/dance.