Blackbird

joshls
joshls Posts: 39
edited October 2007 in Other Music
Have listened to the new Alter Bridge album a few times and I'm blown away! Amazing album. The title track is worth the price of admission alone. What do you guys think of it?
"I'll see you on the other side." - Sleight of Hand

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Comments

  • facepollution
    facepollution Posts: 6,834
    Great album, and you're damn right about the title track, 8 minutes of incredible musicianship by anyone's standards.

    I know a lot of people lump them in with all the other nu-grunge bands, but none of those bands have anywhere near as good guitar or vocal work, nor the balls to write something as long as eight minutes (or the writing skills to pull it off).

    Be prepared to get flamed to death by the way, as usually happens around here..........
  • joshls
    joshls Posts: 39
    Flame suit on. FYI to those that have not heard it, this album sounds NOTHING like creed.
    "I'll see you on the other side." - Sleight of Hand

    Top Bands
    1. Pearl Jam - Vs. , Ten , Avocado , Yield , Vitalogy , Binaural , No Code , Riot Act.
    2. Tool - Lateralus , Aenima , 10,000 days , Undertow , Opiate
  • Jeremy1012
    Jeremy1012 Posts: 7,170
    joshls wrote:
    Have listened to the new Alter Bridge album a few times and I'm blown away! Amazing album. The title track is worth the price of admission alone. What do you guys think of it?
    I hated Creed and have a suspicion of Alter Bridge but I have to admit that Miles Kennedy is a great singer and Alter Bridge are the lesser of two evils. having listened to that title track on youtube though just makes me ask what I always ask, why do they always have to do these epic, bombastic rock songs? I can almost imagine the clifftop guitar solo video.

    don't get me wrong, I'm not flaming. I listened with an open mind. It's just not for me. I also think Tremonti is too highly regarded amongst some people here. people seem to use his shredding skills as evidence of how good he is as a guitar player, in spite of the fact that, as a shredder, he is pretty mediocre. Far better rhythm guitarist than lead.
    "I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"
  • Oh, Jimmy
    Oh, Jimmy Posts: 957
    Not horrible, but it sounds like Creed as a hard rock band, musically. I know its the entire rest of the band, so maybe its the preconceived notions I had goin in. The singer is infinitely better than Scott Stapp.

    Blackbird isn't that impressive. It's only 8 minutes b/c each section is so long, not because they are constantly changin parts or doin somethin totally out there. Any of those bands you mentioned that have a guitarist that is a decent lead player could write a song like this.

    And yes, while mostly tasteless, Mark Tremonti can shred.
  • magikev
    magikev Posts: 296
    Personally,

    I'm pretty damn impressed by this song and record.
    Kevin Viner
    http://www.kevinviner.net
  • Gossard_Is_God
    Gossard_Is_God Posts: 1,031
    Ive been lsitening to the whole album an average of 4 times day for 4 days. Its awesome.
    Pearl Jam - London Astoria 20/4/06....One hell of a night :)

    Reading 2006 - WOOOOW!!!!!

    Paris 2006 - Fucking amazing

    Wembley 2007 :D
  • jeffbr
    jeffbr Seattle Posts: 7,177
    Gossard_Is_God wrote:
    Ive been lsitening to the whole album an average of 4 times day for 4 days. Its awesome.

    Me, too. I've got tickets to the Seattle show and am looking forward to seeing them again. Myles Kennedy is an amazing singer and performer. I used to see him with the Mayfield Four at clubs in Seattle in the late 90's. Good stuff!
    "I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
  • facepollution
    facepollution Posts: 6,834
    Oh, Jimmy wrote:
    Not horrible, but it sounds like Creed as a hard rock band, musically. I know its the entire rest of the band, so maybe its the preconceived notions I had goin in. The singer is infinitely better than Scott Stapp.

    Blackbird isn't that impressive. It's only 8 minutes b/c each section is so long, not because they are constantly changin parts or doin somethin totally out there. Any of those bands you mentioned that have a guitarist that is a decent lead player could write a song like this.

    And yes, while mostly tasteless, Mark Tremonti can shred.

    Yeah I think a lot of people find it hard to push the Creed connection out of their heads. But musically, if people didn't know it was those guys, listening to a song like Ties That Bind or Buried Alive, I doubt Creed would be the first band to come to mind. Musically I wouldn't say they were any more commercial sounding than Pearl Jam were on Ten, not that I'm saying Blackbird is as good as Ten, but you get what I mean.

    And I totally understand why people can't shift the Creed thing, they were a truly shit band. For me though, the shitness was largely due to the singer, musically it was just average meat and potatoes rock - not offensive, so much as just not very imaginative. The new singer, Myles Kennedy, on the other hand, is the absolute polar opposite of Scott Stapp. Not least because he can sing very well, but he's also very down to earth and totally lacks the narcissistic, pious edge that Stapp had.

    Having met all of Alter Bridge I can honestly say they really are a nice bunch of guys, even Tremonti who I expected to be full of rock star bull shit, was really cool. They hung around for over an hour after one show I saw, signing autographs and taking pictures with people. I couldn't help asking myself what on earth they were ever doing in a band with a no-mark loser like Stapp.

    I think Blackbird, the song, is due a bit more respect too. The song was written for a friend of Kennedy's who died of cancer, I actually find it very moving. The point I was making was that it is not typical for a band of this genre to write a song this long, showing that they want to push themselves as musicians. The beginning part is very Radiohead-esque actually, not a typical influence for this type of band. And actually if you give it a few listens, it does have some fairly distinct passages.

    Anyway, I'm not really trying to convince anyone here. I know Alter Bridge aren't necessarily reinventing the wheel, but for a melodic hard rock band, I think they are absolutely at the top of their game. I had to endure a whole 3 Doors Down album in my mate's car a while back, and they are nowhere near the musicians or writers that AB are, and don;t even get me started on Nickelback. Anyway, I'm just trying to explain why I like them.
  • Oh, Jimmy
    Oh, Jimmy Posts: 957
    I just gave the whole album a spin, and ironically enough, it's the new singers vocal melodies and voice that remind me of Creed more than anything.
  • mattosborne
    mattosborne Posts: 339
    Oh, Jimmy wrote:
    I just gave the whole album a spin, and ironically enough, it's the new singers vocal melodies and voice that remind me of Creed more than anything.

    Let me first say, I hated Creed. Now let me say, I love Alter Bridge. Myles Kennedy has one of the best voices in rock. Now, i'll say...you need your ears checked. I mean that in the nicest way possible :)
    The Official Matt Cameron appreciation signature!
  • Oh, Jimmy
    Oh, Jimmy Posts: 957
    mattosborne wrote:
    Let me first say, I hated Creed. Now let me say, I love Alter Bridge. Myles Kennedy has one of the best voices in rock. Now, i'll say...you need your ears checked. I mean that in the nicest way possible :)

    Not saying its exact, but alotta the music is so far removed from Creed, yet there is still some sorta connection. Could be that some of the vocal melodies work out similarly to Creed, b/c even though music has changed quite a bit, maybe the way they arrange their chord progressions and note choice havent changed much.

    What I am tryin to say is you can take some mellow music and take the same thing and make it super heavy or just change the sound and it's naturally gonna have some of the same vocal melodies put over them.
  • joshls
    joshls Posts: 39
    Oh, Jimmy wrote:
    Not saying its exact, but alotta the music is so far removed from Creed, yet there is still some sorta connection. Could be that some of the vocal melodies work out similarly to Creed, b/c even though music has changed quite a bit, maybe the way they arrange their chord progressions and note choice havent changed much.

    What I am tryin to say is you can take some mellow music and take the same thing and make it super heavy or just change the sound and it's naturally gonna have some of the same vocal melodies put over them.


    It is the same guitar player, so your going to get a lot of the some chord progressions/style.
    "I'll see you on the other side." - Sleight of Hand

    Top Bands
    1. Pearl Jam - Vs. , Ten , Avocado , Yield , Vitalogy , Binaural , No Code , Riot Act.
    2. Tool - Lateralus , Aenima , 10,000 days , Undertow , Opiate
  • mattosborne
    mattosborne Posts: 339
    Oh, Jimmy wrote:
    Not saying its exact, but alotta the music is so far removed from Creed, yet there is still some sorta connection. Could be that some of the vocal melodies work out similarly to Creed, b/c even though music has changed quite a bit, maybe the way they arrange their chord progressions and note choice havent changed much.

    What I am tryin to say is you can take some mellow music and take the same thing and make it super heavy or just change the sound and it's naturally gonna have some of the same vocal melodies put over them.

    I see where you're coming from. On the first album, I see that a lot more. Tremonti had most of the lyrics and melodies before Myles ever came on board. I've read he still co-writes with Myles, so that's probably where you're getting the similiarities. I just hate when people talk about Creed so much when discussing Myles Kennedy. The guy is just an amazing talent. He's the reason I listen to Alter Bridge like I do. Tremonti is a good guitarist sure but, Myles is a step above that entire band, I think he's a step above a lot of the vocalists out there today. You should check out his old band Mayfield Four if you haven't already. Their album Second Skin is a good listen.
    The Official Matt Cameron appreciation signature!
  • facepollution
    facepollution Posts: 6,834
    People need to listen to Summergirl by Kennedy's old band Mayfield Four, to hear what he is capable of and where he's coming from. Vocally he couldn't be more different from Stapp. This guy on a technical basis is up there with Cornell and Buckley.
  • Oh, Jimmy
    Oh, Jimmy Posts: 957
    facepollution wrote:
    People need to listen to Summergirl by Kennedy's old band Mayfield Four, to hear what he is capable of and where he's coming from. Vocally he couldn't be more different from Stapp. This guy on a technical basis is up there with Cornell and Buckley.

    Off subject, but is Cornell really viewed as a highly technical singer? He has quite a range on him, but arent technical more consistent. Don't get me wrong I love that he goes for it, but to me a technical singer can go for it night in and night out and be spot on.
  • Jeremy1012
    Jeremy1012 Posts: 7,170
    Oh, Jimmy wrote:
    Off subject, but is Cornell really viewed as a highly technical singer? He has quite a range on him, but arent technical more consistent. Don't get me wrong I love that he goes for it, but to me a technical singer can go for it night in and night out and be spot on.
    I kind of agree because he really does have off days, but listening to the studio version of Say Hello 2 Heaven, I don't think I've ever heard a better vocal, so calling him anything other than technical seems wrong.
    "I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"
  • facepollution
    facepollution Posts: 6,834
    Oh, Jimmy wrote:
    Off subject, but is Cornell really viewed as a highly technical singer? He has quite a range on him, but arent technical more consistent. Don't get me wrong I love that he goes for it, but to me a technical singer can go for it night in and night out and be spot on.

    Actually if you've seen him recently on tour you will know he is more consistent now than he has ever been in his career. I've seen him 3 times this year, and his voice was absolutely jaw-dropping, at the end of Say Hello To Heaven, I was speechless. But regardless, he is deemed an incredible singer by most people's standards, I'm sure it probably took him a few takes in the studio to record stuff like Say Hello To Heaven or Slaves and Bulldozers, but when he nailed it, he nailed it like very few singers could ever hope to. Myles Kennedy is very similar in that respect, people who doubt him should listen to the end of Summergirl, or Save Me to see what this guy can pull off, and let me tell you, it's light years ahead of what Chad Kroegar, Scott Stapp etc could ever do.
  • Oh, Jimmy
    Oh, Jimmy Posts: 957
    facepollution wrote:
    Actually if you've seen him recently on tour you will know he is more consistent now than he has ever been in his career. I've seen him 3 times this year, and his voice was absolutely jaw-dropping, at the end of Say Hello To Heaven, I was speechless. But regardless, he is deemed an incredible singer by most people's standards, I'm sure it probably took him a few takes in the studio to record stuff like Say Hello To Heaven or Slaves and Bulldozers, but when he nailed it, he nailed it like very few singers could ever hope to. Myles Kennedy is very similar in that respect, people who doubt him should listen to the end of Summergirl, or Save Me to see what this guy can pull off, and let me tell you, it's light years ahead of what Chad Kroegar, Scott Stapp etc could ever do.

    Oh god well yeah. Cornell can belt it. I have heard he's more consistent now, than ever.
  • facepollution
    facepollution Posts: 6,834
    Oh, Jimmy wrote:
    Oh god well yeah. Cornell can belt it. I have heard he's more consistent now, than ever.

    Well he's just as technically good as a female singer like say Mariah Carey (ok I know she's stupid and whatever, but the girl can sing) and for a male, very few singers can do what Cornell can do, which is why there aren't a load of copycat singers like there were with Vedder. This is why I was so shocked when I heard Alter Bridge, I only checked them out initially to confound my initial thoughts about them, but after hearing Kennedy sing songs like Find The Real and Burn It Down, I was eating my words. Perhaps his voice papers over the cracks in the music for me, I don't know, but singers like him don't come round very often.

    Anyway, in case anyone wants to check it out, here is Summergirl by Mayfield Four: http://download.yousendit.com/0D6B6775630C4A62
  • Jeremy1012
    Jeremy1012 Posts: 7,170
    facepollution wrote:
    Actually if you've seen him recently on tour you will know he is more consistent now than he has ever been in his career. I've seen him 3 times this year, and his voice was absolutely jaw-dropping, at the end of Say Hello To Heaven, I was speechless. But regardless, he is deemed an incredible singer by most people's standards, I'm sure it probably took him a few takes in the studio to record stuff like Say Hello To Heaven or Slaves and Bulldozers, but when he nailed it, he nailed it like very few singers could ever hope to. Myles Kennedy is very similar in that respect, people who doubt him should listen to the end of Summergirl, or Save Me to see what this guy can pull off, and let me tell you, it's light years ahead of what Chad Kroegar, Scott Stapp etc could ever do.
    I just listened to save me and while, again, it's not my kind of thing musicially speakin, the high pitched vocals near the end were actually very much like cornell's. certainly more than Stapp could ever pull off.
    "I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"

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