Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
These guys are about to get huge..., December 5, 2005
This may well be the best album that no one knows about. Don't worry though, within a year, many people in the U.S. will have heard a song or two from these guys. Nine Black Alps are from Manchester, UK and have earned the nickname of the Nirvana of Europe. I do and don't agree with that comparison. You can tell that they draw from Nirvana's style but NBA has a distinct sound of their own.
1. Get Your Guns- This one rocks out from the start. I really like the verses of this one, more so than the chorus which is rather plain. Nice opener. 7.5/10
2. Cosmopolitan- This one starts with an Interpol-ish sound and then transforms into a rocking out song. The lyrics are very interesting, "You're not pretty enough, you're not skinny enough, you're not healthy enough, you're not shaking at our touch." This is referring to the mass media and how they make everyone feel inadequate about themselves. A solid song. 8/10.
3. Not Everyone- One of my favorites. This one reminds me of a Sonic Youth song which is definitely a plus. This song really comes together and builds up to the awesome chorus. 9/10
4. Unsatisfied- Hands down my favorite song on the album. The opening guitar sends chills down my spine everytime I hear it. I can't say enough about this song. To me, this one stands out above the others on the track. As lead singer Sam Forrest sings, "Ten out of ten for a race already run.." Yea... this one is definitely 10/10.
5. Headlights- Good song. I never skip it when I listen but then again, I'm never really excited when it comes on either. 7/10
6. Behind Your Eyes- A really pretty acoustic song which is a nice way to change up the album. "If that's the way you feel, there's no easy way out." I really like this one. 8.5/10
7. Ironside- Definitely my second favorite track. The guitar is incredible in this one and the singer conveys how he just wants to be left alone after a relationship falls apart. 9.5/10
8. Shot Down- I've found out that this is a fan favorite. An older sounding song which I like quite a bit. 8/10
9. Just Friends- The lead singer Forrest singing about how he is always too late and never around to start a relationship with this girl. Short and Sweet. 8/10
10. Everybody Is- Pretty good. Somewhat of an angry song. Nothing spectacular, but again, I definitely don't skip it. 7.5/10
11. Intermission- The other acoustic song of the album. Not quites as good as Behind Your Eyes, but still a song that you want to hear. 8/10
12. Southern Cross- The closer for the album is a very good one. I like the singer's voice in this one as he changes keys a few times. Nice way to finish out a great debut. 8.5/10
These guys are not known now, but they will be. Just as UK bands such as Franz Ferdinand, Coldplay, Bloc Party, and Keane have swept through America, Nine Black Alps will soon be more than a band known only in Europe.
Overall, Everything Is = 8.3/10
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb, straightforward rock, June 23, 2006
I'm constantly amazed at how much I enjoy this album. I expected to find the usual two or three good tracks buried in the usual garbage, but "Everything Is" is surprisingly consistent, chock full of good material. Though there are a few tracks that are exceptionally good ("Unsatisfied," for example), there isn't a single dud on the album.
In addition, the songwriting is exceptional. I tend toward more electronic music, and am normally bored by bands without a dedicated keyboardist or (at the least) whacky FX. Nine Black Alps plows through the album with only a few different guitar and bass sounds, providing variation entirely through the songs themselves instead of by sonic contortion. This is some of the purest and best rock I've ever heard.
Other reviewers' have made comparisons to Nirvana, but I feel this is unjustified. Nine Black Alps easily competes with Nirvana for grunginess, but they owe far more to the Ramones and modern indie rock than to Nirvana.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
You have to own this album!, August 3, 2006
How do you describe how a band sounds? Nine Black Alps are clearly informed by punk and metal riffs, without being held prisoner by them. The songs are intelligent, catchy, and contain many subtleties which seem to get better with repeated listenings. The vocals may recall Joe Strummer of the Clash, but this band owes nothing to anyone. Every song on this album is easily catchy and memorable, and other than the two slow songs, the record rocks from start to finish. Fuzz guitar riffs seem to remind one of the great punk songs of old, yet this band sounds as fresh as today's news. I am as impressed by this album as I was the first time I heard the Ramones' first album, or Nirvana's "Nevermind." Although this band has its own sound and doesn't sound like those two albums, it's easy to see why the sticker on the cover proclaims that this may be the band that saves rock and roll.
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by Nine Black Alps 
