Negative Review

A_Primetime_Fool · Post by **A_Primetime_Fool** » 9/2/2005, 12:49 am

Here's a different take on HIPT than I've been hearing from a lot of critics (and CMers).

It's from my school newspaper at the U. of Pittsburgh, so it's just some kid reviewing it, but he sounds like he was a big OLP fan back in the Mike days:

http://www.pittnews.com/vnews/display.v ... 6e0ba378e0

He basically argues that Gravity was uninspired, paint-by-numbers rock, and HIPT is the same. While I might agree with him as far as Gravity is concerned, I think he's way too damn cynical for his own good if he doesn't see the originality in stuff like Angels/Losing/Sleep, WTSOYF, or Apology... Either that or he didn't even listen to the album...

I AM ME · Post by **I AM ME** » 9/2/2005, 12:56 am

A_Primetime_Fool wrote:Here's a different take on HIPT than I've been hearing from a lot of critics (and CMers).

It's from my school newspaper at the U. of Pittsburgh, so it's just some kid reviewing it, but he sounds like he was a big OLP fan back in the Mike days:

http://www.pittnews.com/vnews/display.v ... 6e0ba378e0

He basically argues that Gravity was uninspired, paint-by-numbers rock, and HIPT is the same. While I might agree with him as far as Gravity is concerned, I think he's way too damn cynical for his own good if he doesn't see the originality in stuff like Angels/Losing/Sleep, WTSOYF, or Apology... Either that or he didn't even listen to the album...

i can't help but agree, even though i think it is a step foreward from gravity, not a step far enough, maybe i'm just one of those alternative fans that loved OLP when they really weren't an alternitive bands at heart

Hope · Post by **Hope** » 9/2/2005, 1:28 am

jesus christ.

Gravity was a bubble gum pop album that was indistinguishable from a Creed album, and sat beside Britney Spears on radio play lists.

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

nikki4982 · Post by **nikki4982** » 9/2/2005, 1:29 am

That's a bit extreme, I'd say. :freak:

Hope · Post by **Hope** » 9/2/2005, 1:37 am

imo, britney spears and olp should not be compared in the same sentence as being similar in any way, even if it is gravity they are talking about.

sample lyrics from gravity that i like: (just to make my point)

- youre the blood and i'm the seed
- i just want to get out, stuck inside of this, waiting for something else, waiting to exist
- I’d burn our initials in the sun if it would shine
- i know i failed you, i hope that we get through sunny days again
- suddenly, im something im not, you're something that you bought
- and are you waking up slowly, you're nothing but lonely, are you waking up holding your breath

Henrietta · Post by **Henrietta** » 9/2/2005, 8:17 am

Wow. Not even close IMO.

naveed99 · Post by **naveed99** » 9/2/2005, 10:10 am

Dread · Post by **Dread** » 9/2/2005, 12:20 pm

I'm not surprised. Certain old school OLP "purists" are going to hate it simply because they've gone in a more commercial direction. They hear the overproduction of it all and immediately draw the conclusion that it's terrible. And while I have some problems with the album, and consider myself an OLP "purist," I don't think the album is terrible at all. Some just aren't able to look past the more obvious flaws.

nikki4982 · Post by **nikki4982** » 9/2/2005, 4:14 pm

I don't hear how it's overproduced, personally. In fact, to my ears it sounds less produced than some of the older stuff.

Hope · Post by **Hope** » 9/2/2005, 4:23 pm

maybe not overproduced, but produced badly.

nikki4982 · Post by **nikki4982** » 9/2/2005, 5:16 pm

Meh. It's better than St. Anger.

naveed99 · Post by **naveed99** » 9/2/2005, 8:36 pm

Can't Disagree there.

I think OLP saw it turning in that direction, and tryed to change that, which was the cause of some of the argument, "putting the artistry back in music" according to Raine.

Dread · Post by **Dread** » 9/2/2005, 10:43 pm

nikki4982 wrote:I don't hear how it's overproduced, personally. In fact, to my ears it sounds less produced than some of the older stuff.

Everything is just so suppressed musically, therefore giving a lot of the music an almost artificial feel. It's a typical Bob Rock trick. And it just sounds so clean. A lot cleaner than at least the first three albums. I know most people don't like to admit that SM had a shiny production, but it did, too. The difference is just the band's sound still sound exploratory on it. Bob Rock's production makes it sound like the band is always holding back. Maybe you can't blame Bob Rock for making the record sound like that if a person didn't know better, but these aren't the only records I've heard him do where they sound like that.

Hope · Post by **Hope** » 9/3/2005, 2:31 am

^i have to agree

Flea21212 · Post by **Flea21212** » 9/3/2005, 8:12 am

Dread wrote:
nikki4982 wrote:I don't hear how it's overproduced, personally. In fact, to my ears it sounds less produced than some of the older stuff.

Everything is just so suppressed musically, therefore giving a lot of the music an almost artificial feel. It's a typical Bob Rock trick. And it just sounds so clean. A lot cleaner than at least the first three albums. I know most people don't like to admit that SM had a shiny production, but it did, too. The difference is just the band's sound still sound exploratory on it. Bob Rock's production makes it sound like the band is always holding back. Maybe you can't blame Bob Rock for making the record sound like that if a person didn't know better, but these aren't the only records I've heard him do where they sound like that.

I pretty much agree with this. The this record almost sounds "plastic" even more so that Gravity, at least on Gravity songs like "Bring Back The Sun" nad "Not Enough" had a sense of rawness to them.

naveed99 · Post by **naveed99** » 9/3/2005, 9:34 am

Hmm I get that feeling too.

If I had to describe it with one work that word would be "SAFE".

Of course, I still love the album, and I think WTSOYF is definitly not safe, more so then the others.

Dread · Post by **Dread** » 9/3/2005, 11:36 am

I still like the album, too, because I think most of the songs are strong enough to stand out over Rock's production. It sort of reminds me how I thought the "Gravity" songs sounded better on the live album then on record. But I'm still left to wonder how the record would sound had it not been produced so tightly. I know it's silly to think about when this record hasn't been out for a week even, but it'll be interesting to see where they go if they do make a record #7. I really don't think they'll use Bob Rock again, and hopefully they'll stay away from the Glen Ballards or Howard Bensons or Johnny Ks of the production world, too.

Hope · Post by **Hope** » 9/3/2005, 12:37 pm

i want raine to produce more olp songs.

and i agree that the album sounds too safe, kind of boxed in, except for a couple songs like Al Genina and Apology... in those songs, you can almost feel the weight that raine sings with, the rawness. but with songs like Don't Stop, it's semi catchy but it doesn't really DO anything.

i think production is a even bigger problem in HIPT than in gravity, because the songs on HIPT have a better potential as raw, real emotional songs than the ones on gravity. all i can say is.... stupid bob rock.

nikki4982 · Post by **nikki4982** » 9/3/2005, 8:14 pm

Eh. I'd much rather a record be over-produced than under-produced. Like I said... it's better than St. Anger... which was the production direction they initially wanted to go in.

Why? I will never ever understand. I just remember being very very sad when I heard they wanted that. :lol:

clowcards · Post by **clowcards** » 9/3/2005, 10:53 pm

Sorry for being an idiot, but what is the St. Anger Analogy?

What direction did they want to go in?

ClumsyMonkey.net

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