Customer Reviews

Wreck Your Life

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

 

 

This is the first Old 97s album I bought. Thus, it is my sentimental favorite. In the general progression from beautifully unpolished "Rhome" to outrageously wild "Too Far To Care", "Wreck Your Life" is sometimes sweet, very often funny, and always great music. Rhett's lyrics are what I would call brilliantly pathetic. "Big Brown Eyes" is a masterpiece of rejection, and "Over the Cliff" is one of the best "screw my job" songs I've ever heard. If you like any of the Old 97s' other CDs, you will definitely love this one.

"...headin' back to Cleveland in a 7-seater tour van there's eight of us, so one's sleepin' on the floor. The guy that plays the banjo keeps on handing me the Old Crow. It multiplies my sorrow, I can't take this any more..."

This album makes me want to give up songwriting. I can't write a song as well as "Doreen". I love everything from The Beatles, to De La Soul, to Johnny Cash, to Sleater-Kinney, but I've never felt like that. No album had ever made me think a genre had peaked before this one. Buy it and weep.

After falling in love with Satellite Rides and Fight Songs, I purchased Wreck Your Life on a whim. I immediately found that I was able to relate to the tunes and lyrics in a way that I'd almost forgotten was possible. The album's absolutely packed with the irreverent innocence and frenetic (and often painful) love that I just can't get enough of. Wreck Your Life is my new favorite album.

If you like achingly clever lyrics, brlliantly-turned phrases, crunching guitar cords, driving drum tracks, mind altering hooks, and toe tapping fun, you will like this album. Seriously, this is as finely crafted pop/rock/twang-a-billy album as you are likely to find. Perfect.

I'm biased: Old 97's are my favorite band. I'm 30, educated and do not like country music. Yet this is my favorite band, and the best album by Old 97's. It's raw yet smooth, rough yet gentle. The songwriting is superb, the vocals are almost painful to hear and the overall impression they always give is that of a group of young men who play and FEEL their music. Don't insult this wonderful band by placing them in a "genre". Just listen to the music and know your world is a better place.

Of the Old 97s albums, I'd rate Too Far to Care first and Wreck Your Life a close second. Both are examples of excellent musicianship and, on occasion, some of the best songwriting you will ever hear. About Doreen: "She lived in Berkeley til the earthquake shook her loose .... She lives in Texas now where nothing ever moves."
Listen to the "Victoria" and "Doreen" samples. If you don't hear something there, don't buy the album. And I would also suggest that you check your pulse.

This is country music, but I hate country and I love this CD. The lyrics really hit home for generation X'ers that are tired of looking for love. These guys can play fast or slow and I promise you'll be singing all the songs word for word in your first week with this CD.

The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is due to a couple weak songs- W-I-F-E and Goin Goin Gone. But everything else is pure joy with Over the Cliff and Big Brown Eyes my favorite. To crank the music and sing "Please don'd call me cool just call me a$$hole" or "I'm calling Time and Temperature just for some company" is the most fun you can have with your pants on. Highly recommended.

I am a big 97's fan and own all of their albums. This early one contains a few of their very best songs. Old Familiar Steam is my favorite 97's song of all time. I didn't know I even liked train songs, let alone loved them, until I heard Old Familiar Steam. Big Brown Eyes is their signature song for good reason, it is wonderful. Other favorites: Victoria, Doreen, and Bel Air. Rhett Miller's lyrics are both fun and witty, and heartbreaking and bleak. How could you ask for more from a song?

Now them're some good songs..