Customer Reviews

We Don't Need to Whisper (Clean)

5 star:		(110)
4 star:		(49)
3 star:		(24)
2 star:		(17)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Blink-182 changed continously throughout it's band-life. But not until Enema of the State did they to me make a bigger change. They turned somewhat "poppy" and had real good songs. In Take off your Pants and Jacket, they started to turn more "Rock", and it turned out to be my favorite CD. But in their final album ( Titled Blink-182? ) they turned really "emo", depressing, somewhat gothic.. but I still liked that, too. But when they broke up, or went on an "indefinite hiatius", I was pretty shocked, since Tom and Mark were "best friends".

In Angels and Airwaves (AvA) Tom takes on a more serious and loving side without his former bandmates Travis Barker and Mark Hoppus. Angels and Airwaves consists of Box Car Racer guitarist David Kennedy, former Distillers bassist Ryan Sinn, and the drummer Atom Willard, best known as former drummer for The Offspring. With a great group of guys like this, you'd expect a great cd, and that is exactly what you get. Tom said it would change the world.. it hasn't. I think he was just feeling good that day. :P. Here's my review.

Valkyrie Missle: 10/10. This has got to be my favorite track on the entire album. The intro is a long two minutes and forty seconds, a riff doesn't start until a minute or so into it, and tempo doesn't change until a minute thirty. I loved the lyrics though, and Tom's voice makes it a much better song. I'm hoping this is AvA's next single. This is my favorite on the album I'd say.

Distraction: 9/10. Starts out with a less than lengthy intro than Valkyrie Missle ( This one is a minute and nine seconds ) and the lyrics are pretty repetetive, but I just like this song. And like I will say continously about these songs, Tom's voice makes it better better better.

Do It For Me Now: 8.5/10. Only a thirty six second intro (probably the shortest) and a solid song, but it's really nothing too special.

The Adventure: 9.5/10. If anyone's heard about AvA and heard one song, they've most likely heard this one. It's AvA's first single. It's one minute thirty second intro is pretty repetetive, but it picks up as soon as Tom starts singing. Good lyrics, nice quick paced beat... I've just heard this song too many times.

A Little's Enough: 9/10. One of the slower paced songs on the album, but it's still good. Not the best song, but it surely is a good one with pretty good lyrics.

The War: 9.5/10. I love the main riff. Good lyrics, which mainly talk about, you probably guessed it... war. The best thign about this song though is definitely the guitar work though. But that plus Tom's voice equals magic. Very good song.

The Gift: 9.5/10. This may very well be the first AvA song I heard because I downloaded it. Great lyrics, and OF COURSE, great vocals from Tom make this one of the best on the album in my opinion.

It Hurts: 8.5/10. The main thing said in this song is "It Hurts" ... several times ... and it really stays the same tempo throughout the whole song. This is one of the worst on the album to me.

Good Day: 9.5/10. I loved Tom's vocals in this song. The lyrics are like most songs, just about "oo baby I love you... mmm don't dump me." But it's still good.

Start The Machine: 8.5/10. Slower paced song the whole song, really, and a really "peaceful" way to end the album.

AvA seems very much to me like a more modern U2 for some reason. Slow paced, meaningful lyrics, and just overall great stuff. The only thing AvA needs to work on is how long their intros are and closes. Many times it would seem as if a song was over, and it just kept on going and repeating the same line over and over. The lyrics also get repetetive sometimes. Anyway, I sincerely hope this band doesn't split now. Stay together, Angels and Airwaves. Stay together, for the kids.

We Don't Need to Whisper definitely deserves a:

9.6/10

You absolutely must buy this CD.

Being a huge Blink-182 fan, I was one of the few it seems that really liked the last Blink album and the direction the band was heading with their more mature sound. So when the band decided to take an indefinite break, I was very disappointed to say the least, as if they faltered just when it seemed that they were hitting their prime. Then came Tom's much anticipated effort with a new lineup. I have to admit going in with some skepticism, being that I felt pretty strongly that Mark and Travis were too intrical and talented members of a great band to replace so easily since Mark's powerful basslines and Travis' crushing drums were such distinguishing hallmarks of Blink's successful sound. But with all due respect to those two individuals, boy I couldn't have been more wrong. Not only did Tom's new direction pick up right where Blink left off, but it reached a level that I'm not sure Blink could ever gotten to as it would've been too much of a departure from their previous sound. This is simply one of the best albums I have ever heard and blows away any previous albums Blink has ever done. Now I know some are saying that AvA's sound is too reminiscent of U2, The Cure, and other '80's bands to stand on it's own. However, in my humble opinion I couldn't disagree more. While there are similarities to albums such as the Joshua Tree in terms of the scale of the songs, no one today is even coming close to touching the commitment to excellence in writing. Tom and his new mates set out to make an alblum not with just a couple of hit singles and a bunch of filler, but instead wrote every song as if it was to go on an eventual greatest hits album. Each song not only stands alone in it's brillance, but together form an entire concept album full of themes of love, war, loss, hope, and space. There is simply no weak link on this album.

Valkrie's Missile, Do It For Me Now, The Adventure, The Gift, and The War are my favorites, but it's really hard to rank them above the rest because all are excellent. The perfect blend of rock, synth, lyrics, and production, "We Don't Need To Whisper" is an alblum that will stand the test of time and become a cult classic whether or not it reaches the commercial success of an album like the Joshua Tree. Now no review would be complete without a little criticism and if there is one to offer it is this: There are times when Tom's sophomoric/teen-sounding voice doesn't quite fit AvA's more mature sound and lyrics. You almost wonder if he will still sound this way as he approaches middle age. But having accepted this long ago, one can overcome this slight annoyance because of how amazing this alblum is. So don't hesitate to purchase it. It will be one that you will enjoy for years to come. AvA is my new favorite band and after listening to this album, I'm confident you will become a fan too. I already cant wait to see them live and look forward to more AvA in years to come. Way to go boys!

Barely hinted at in the last 182 album, this thing is pure emotional fantasy rock. Powerful and delicate in perfect measures, it harkens back to the new-romantic feel of the 80s, with a nice blink 182 spike... just a spike...
God bless Tom Delonge for not giving up, and giving us something very special to listen to for years to come.
My faves are 'valkyrie missle' and 'do it for me now'.

In my opinion , Angels and Airwawaves is an instant classic.

I am not a Blink-182 fan but I saw the "adventure" video on MTV and bought the album. There's a lot of talent here and moving music.

Bravo Tom, Bravo. I knew within 30 seconds of playing this CD, I would love it and I do, just love it.

My advice....don't compare it....don't compare it to anything. Just enjoy it and its maturity. It really is just beautiful, for lack of a better word.

I am not going to go through this CD, song by song, and critique it. I will say there is not one song I skip over. I have my favorites, of course, and they are;

Start the Machine
Good Day
Distraction
The Gift
Valkyrie Missile
The Adventure

Wow. The first time I heard Angels and Airwaves was on the radio. The song was called "The Adventure", and I didn't think too much about it first, but I did go home and download it on iTunes. As I listened to it more and more, I decided to listen to the other songs and I was amazed. Now they are my favorite band and I was lucky enough to get to see them in concert. Here are some of my ratings:

Lyrics: A+

Sound: A

Consistency: A

The best songs are "The Adventure", "The War", and "It Hurts"

Angels and Airwaves' debut album 'We Don't Need To Whisper' is an album that should go down in history as one of the most solid albums to hit shelves today. Contrary to what some may say, this album is the absolute antithesis of failure. Heavy with delay effects, synthesizers, full drawn out choruses, and passion-driven lyrics--it contains everything needed to create an epic and timeless album.

I remember buying it the first day it came out. I drove as fast as I could on my way back home where I could listen to it in my bedroom with the headphones on. Once I got home, I immediately did just that while carefully turning the volume up to ten on my Ipod. The opening to the first song, "Valkyrie Missile", got my heart racing immediately. The strings combined with the organ set up the perfect landscape; almost as if giving me a feeling of flying through space. The intro then builds for about two minutes to reach the climactic verse where Tom sings the first line, "Everyone, everyone will listen even if it hurts sometimes." The verse then instantly transitions to the melodic chorus that'll make you want to raise your arms to the sky and cry because of how beautiful it sounds. My favorite part of the song though has to be the outro. It starts off with a crescendo that leads to an octave riffing that'll hit you right in face emotionally.

The following track, "Distraction", starts off with a long introduction as well, peppered with hand claps and foot stomps that are reminiscent of an army marching towards you. When the marching is at its loudest, it leads to the chorus: "I'll be your distraction." Tom Delonge does a great job in this song painting a picture of a destroyed city. The moral of the song is that no matter how ugly a certain situation is, you'll find beauty within.

The album only gets better from there, believe it or not. "The Adventure", the first single off of their debut album, brings you a feeling of positivity and optimism through the simple, yet, meaningful lyrics about rebirth. The song consists of huge crescendos and riffing that sounds from the not too distant future. The entire song builds towards the powerful bridge when Tom sings "I cannot live; I can't breathe unless you do this with me." Other songs such as "A Little's Enough", "The War", and "The Gift" along with the cd's reoccurring themes of love and war will twist your heart from the inside out. "A Little's Enough" is their slowest song on the cd, yet, it's the most powerful. It's about God coming down to Earth to fix everything that's wrong with the world today. The imagery Tom uses helps create a clear image inside your head; it's incredible. Track number six, "The War", is the definition of an anthem. Consisting of heavy power chords that stomp over a huge drum beat and a tribal-esque chant during the bridge, the song delivers a powerful message about the consequences of war and the need for peace. The U2-influenced song, "The Gift", carries with it, guitar-delayed riffs and a chorus that will instantly bring you to a smile on a bad day.

The cd comes to a close with a song called "Start the Machine". The song opens with a toy piano playing. As the guitar swells, the bass and drums kick in, giving sort of an electronic vibe. The entire song builds up to a gigantic-sounding outro as Tom explains his need to leave Blink-182 to start AVA. For those who are familiar with Coldplay's "Fix You", the outro has the similar effect. "Start the Machine" is clearly a song about Blink's break up and all the negativity the members encountered during their last hours as a band. However, Tom does a great job tying the entire cd at the end, leaving the listener with a feeling of optimism and hope as he sings "If love's a word that you say, then say it and I will listen." It is interpreted by many that this one line marks the possibility of Blink-182's return in the future.

There are a surprising number of people that consider this cd as mediocre. I must strongly disagree with those individuals. This cd contains something that most cds don't have today--timelessness. Tom Delonge wrote a story about war and love and with that, creating some of the most beautiful songs of our time; songs that'll make you feel like you're soaring across the sky. After the last track on my Ipod played and I tried standing up, my knees almost buckled because of how taken away I felt by the music. The music really gives you a sense of escapism and optimism. If you don't think this is a good cd, it only means one thing: you've grown accustomed to the music today so you've forgotten what a beautiful song sounds like.

Well it's finally here, the debut album from Tom Delonge's new band Angels and Airwaves (AVA). When the members of Blink 182 informed us over a year ago that they were going on an "indefinite hiatus" we as fans weren't quite sure what to make of it. Those of us who had stuck around with the guys well after the height of their popularity (1999-2001) had been blown away by blink's untitled album, and couldn't wait to see what direction the continued to go in. Unfortunately (and fortunately) we would not find out the answer to that question. However, from the ashes of Blink 182 rises Angels and Airwaves, Tom Delonge's new band of punk rock veterans. A band that promised to change the world one song at a time. Yes many of us were concerned or even rolled our eyes when we heard Tom say that over and over and over. Well, while "We Don't Need to Whisper" may not change the world, it will certainly change Tom's. AVA is undoubtably the greatest musical achievement of Mr. Delonge's decade spanning career. It is at times mind blowing, such as on the opening track Valkyrie Missile, a seven minute lift off before the real trip begins. Other times it will just put a stupid smile on your face that you won't be able to wipe off (see "The Adventure). You may even need sit down and take a deep breath, let it all sink in (A Little's Enough, The War). One thing I'm sure you will be is impressed. AVA combines Tom's infectious Blinkish guitar riffs with a new sound that can only be compared to that of U2. In reality, AVA is an evolved Blink, using the classic elements and building upon them in a way that I certainly never imagined would be possible. Blink 18U2 if you will.

While AVA will always be compared to Blink 182, they certainly shouldn't be. Suprisingly enough, I don't think that would be fair to Blink.

Several months before "We Don't Need To Whisper" came out, I was listening to the radio one night and the band's first single "The Adventure" came on. At first I was a little confused because I thought Blink 182 had broken up, so I figured that either Tom DeLonge had put back together Boxcar Racer, or he had once again formed a new band. Sure enough, it was the birth of Angels and Airwaves.

After listening to "The Adventure", I knew right away I needed to get as much info. on what was going on. I immediately jumped on the computer and did some research. Within two minutes, I had "The Adventure" downloaded and had it on repeat. I was blown away at Tom's new style, and I was excited for what was in store for us.

After a couple more weeks, Amazon had posted "We Don't Need To Whisper", Angels and Airwaves' first album. I could barely contain myself, hoping that the music was similar to "The Adventure", and it wasn't some one-hit-wonder crap that was gonna hit the shelves. Thankfully, this band is anything but a one-hit-wonder. They're something exceptional, and definately something to be reckoned with.

So, the day came when the album was in stores, and I immediately picked up mine. Taking Tom's advice literally to heart, and actually sitting down in a quite room and putting on the music, my heart and eardrums were pulsating with excitement as each new song came thru my speakers. This truly was not Blink, nor was it even Boxcar Racer. This, is Angels and Airwaves.

But, unfortunately due to Tom's fame and very well known career, that's enough for some to pass judgement too quickly and decide he can't do anything right in the music industry. Either that or people think this is a copycat to other bands with Tom's own twist on it. Frankly for me, I feel AVA is not only original, but something to really appreciate. It's some very well written music in my mind, and I've listened to this album time and time again to get the true meaning and feelings that this band is trying to get across.

I absolutely love this album. This is a wonderful piece of work, and I'm very impressed with not only Tom's new ideas, but his newly found maturity. I'm very excited to see what AVA has for us in the future!

"We Don't Need to Whisper" is absolutely brilliant. You won't find the typical Blink 182 pop songs. This album is a dramatic narrative about love and triumph in some future apocalypse. I know that sounds a little "out there," but Tom's voice is amazing. The lyrics are poignant and the melodies are stirring. In short, you must buy this album.