Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Killers? Nah - Much better than that..., March 29, 2006
It seems to me that She Wants Revenge have been taking some heat by the press - heat which is rather undeserved in my opinion. So they're not the most original band on the planet, but who is original these days? They're easily pigeonholed into the '80s revival genre which has been trendy for about 2 or 3 years now, but that's no reason to write them off.
She Wants Revenge seem to have invited surprising (IMO) comparisons to the Killers, the band credited with becoming the first huge stars of the aforementioned movement. Let's see - The Killers have rather shallow lyrics (which you know from the chorus of "Somebody Told Me"), sound like a total Duran Duran knockoff, and all of the members weren't even born until after Ian Curtis of Joy Division committed suicide and were just coming into this world when Depeche Mode released their first album ... so if you ask me, these guys are rather undeserving of their credibility.
She Wants Revenge, on the other hand, have a more moody, atmospheric sound that has far more in common with Joy Division, Depeche Mode, even Bauhaus (when I first heard opening track "Red Flags And Long Nights", I was waiting for them to start singing "Bela Lugosi Is Dead") than Duran Duran. There's also a few songs that are more percussive and channel a vibe reminiscent of New Order, like "I Don't Wanna Fall In Love". While the lyrics aren't always top-notch, they are engaging and far less repetitive than some other bands. The songs are catchy enough to earn them radio exposure (as the success of "Tear You Apart" proves, but SWR are not a pop group - many of the song lengths go beyond the typical 3 or 4 minute pop song format that The Killers operate within exclusively, and much of the subject matter doesn't lend itself to spins on your local "hit music" station between Kelly Clarkson and Fall Out Boy. And SWR's band members are old enough to have heard Depeche Mode and New Order (though not necessarily Joy Division) when their albums were coming out, right around the time that the members of The Killers were playing with toys and drinking their Kool-Aid.
Frontman Justin Warfield has received some criticism for not allowing himself to be bound by one genre's parameters - I actually applaud him for this, as it shows off his versatility. In 1993 he put out a clever alternative hip-hop album (My Field Trip To Planet 9), and then in 1995 he went in a hard-charging classic rock direction (The Justin Warfield Supernaut), and 11 years later, we have the early '80s influenced She Wants Revenge. Perhaps he would be deserving of the criticism if all of the aforementioned efforts were weak, but they have all been commendable. It is here that we find out that he can sing in a brooding baritone with the best of them. Combine said baritone with linear guitar riffs and you'll find that they sound somewhat like their contemporaries Interpol, and while this isn't quite as strong as that band due to the monochromatic nature of the lyrics (not necessarily a knock - I think this is SWR's way of establishing an identity for themselves) they might be on their way to putting out a modern classic if they can progress.
In summary: This is one of those instances where an album receives unfair criticism due to the old "trend-hopping" accusation - it happened to The Bravery last year, and now it's She Wants Revenge's turn. Give them a chance, and you'll find that unlike the highly overrated Killers, they have much more to offer than tame one-dimensional Duran Duran-esque pop/rock. SWR is definitely one of the most promising bands in this genre despite their late arrival - the emphasis on lyrics that are often clever, usually melodramatic and sometimes unintentionally humorous (in a good way) along with the engaging songs make this worth picking up.
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42 of 52 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Joy Division/early New Order updated for the 21st century, February 4, 2006
She Wants Revenge consists of Adam Bravin and Justin Warfield. Working with drum machines and an array of keyboards and synthesizers, augmented by the occasional electric guitar, the duo has gradually been building buzz in the last 18 months. This is their debut album.
"She Wants Revenge" (10 tracks, plus one hidden track; 64 min.) is so deeply rooted in Joy Division and early New Order, you are going to enjoy this album tremendously if you like those bands. If you don't, don't waste your time or money. There are really no weak tracks as such. First single "These Things" is an enjoyable hum-along. "Out of Control" is a great club-song ("The Lights That Move Sideways and Up and Down/The Beat Takes You Over and Spins You Round"). The best is saved for last: first there is the new single "Tear You Apart", which both musically and lyrically is a derivative of Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart", but oh so catchy! Then there is the "hidden" bonus track, which plays as track 66 on my CD player, a great 7+ min. epic song and a perfect way to end the album.
While She Wants Revenge often gets mentioned along the same lines as Interpol due to the connection to/influence by, musically She Wants Revenge is in fact much closer to, say, the Faint. I saw She Wants Revenge live about a year ago, and immediately took a liking to their music. The debut album is finally out, and one of the best releases of early 2006. BUY IT!
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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Ode to the Album that Rips off 1000 other bands..., February 26, 2006
I really like this album; I like the music, I like the lyrics (I think they blend prosaic, dark, and elegant words wonderfully with equally interesting music) - but most of all I am amazed by the reviews I have found on Amazon: Three groups of people (a) "I give it a 1, this is a fake", (b) "I give it a 4, clearly has a lot of influences but I still like it, and (c) "I give it a 5 - it is spectacular."
And who are they immitating? Interpol? Joy Division? Bauhuas? the Cure? I clearly am not well versed in the popular music literature because people seemed to blame She Wants Revenge for ripping off just about any band that has had a song that sounds like them - personally, I think if they are IN FACT able to integrate the some 3 dozen bands mentioned here, just on Amazon, then we should be praising them as musical geniuses: using old influences to create something unique that (apparently) can't be accurately placed on any one artist...well isn't that what art is?
I would love it if Amazon started working Professor Mikhail Gronas's rating system - this debut album certainly is controversial enough to burn a hole into the music world and I absolutely love it.
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