Customer Reviews

We Are Beautiful We Are Doomed (CD/DVD)

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

 

 

We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed was originally recorded as a collection of songs intended to be used as b-sides for future single releases. Turns out that these musicians are just so damn talented that the set of ten songs ended up being every bit as good as the material on their debut record, released only seven months earlier in April. As shocked as I am that a young band like this can put out two excellent records in the same year, I am moreso pleased to see that 2008 has been the year of bands deciding that they don't think 3-4 four years between releases is an ok timetable, at least if one is to believe the press. Anyhow, I digress.

Los Campesinos! is probably the most blisteringly enjoyable band that has come onto the indie scene in the last few years. Their songs are effortlessly cool, clever, and fun. Their trademark style revolves around blazing guitars, blistering drumming, and scathingly witty lyrical diatribes. I personally see Los Campesinos! as the modern-day evolution of the punk movement of the late '70s, taking the DIY aesthetic of those albums and turning it into something undeniably fun. This is an album that simply must be heard to understand, and it's something that virtually anybody should be able to get behind.

9/10

Starts out excellent, and with obvious growth, with powerful tracks like "Ways to Make it Through the Wall", "Miserabilia", "We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed", and "You'll Need Those Fingers for Crossing". However, after that the CD loses some steam..."It's Never That Easy..." and "End of the Asterisk" are fairly weak, and very 'skippable' which is a let down from the "every song is a winner" feeling of their previous CD "Hold on Now, Youngster...". "Documented Minor Emotional Breakdown #1" and "All Your Kayfabe Friends" round out the end of the CD nicely, but overall it feels a little short.

With that said, I still find that the CD has immense replay value and can fit a number of moods. Los Campesinos! still deliver the same beautiful poetic insights that they always do, combined with the shout-it-out, sing-along lyrics that we've come to know and love (once we can get them all memorized and retool our mouths to keep up, of course!)

Not bad for a band that put out 25 tracks in 8 months time.

We are Beautiful, We are Doomed is so close to being a masterpiece to me that it hurts. It is just too short. Keep in mind this flaw comes from the fact that what they do offer is so good.

The album shows an amazing range that some would not have seen possible from the band that produced the hyper tween pop rock gem that is Hold on Now, Youngster. This album is eons more mature but still has the same charm that was present in their older work.

If you consider yourself a fan of Indie Rock and you like music with deep and meaningful lyrics then "We are Beautiful, We are Doomed" truly is a must have.

It's nothing like I have heard before. Its amazing. Los Campesinos is one of my favorite bands, their music is ingenious and clever.

If you liked it, you should check Johnny Foreigner.

I was hoping for more after their LP. It had its moments though, hence the 4 stars.

I made a mistake buying this.

The Los Camps are a sort of Welsh wanna-be Stars (of Montreal if you don't know them)
only Los Camps don't appear to go to a real studio to record and don't employ a producer of merit..

this Los Camp CD sounds like they had a session in their bedroom, using tin foil for mics, and with little attention to levels/quality.. it really is quite bad.

What the heck is the fuss about these guys anyway ? I've got Dinosaur Jr way better produced than this.

I listen to bands like The Kills and Radiohead who employ studio technicians and they do justice to my expensive HiFi, these kids just sound really,sucky,sadly bad. I blame it on the 10 bitiPod generation stealing compressed crap via the net. They know not what is good no more.

Grandaddy Valve.