Reviewing the album after 6 months

[psycosquirrel789]

That's a good point. It did review pretty well on a critic level. I think deep down we all know he's much more capable than radio songs and there's a frustration that he is not showing it.

[zazthespaz]

I'm not saying this statement to say anyone's opinion is right or wrong, I just kind of find it funny that a lot of rock/guitar based websites I go to give this album high praise, and the Alter Bridge fan site doesn't so much lol.

But for me the album has a few gems: Leave It Alone, Decay, Brains, and maybe Wish You Well. Some other good songs are So You're Afraid, The Things I've Seen, and I like New Way Out too. But I think the title track is pretty weak, and Doesn't Matter is kinda bland as well.

All in all, the album rounds out to a very solid record. Has some of my favorite Tremonti moments on it, but it also has some stuff I'm not too thrilled about.

That's a pretty good summation of how I feel about the record - same tracks and everything. Although New Way Out is one of my favorites.

[Dayviewer]

It's a good record, but I'm still letdown by the fact that it was hyped to be something completely different than he has EVER done.
Which wasn't the case, at all.
Yes there are some more metal influences here and there, but in the end of the day most verses/choruses could have been used for AB or Creed.
And that isn't bad, it's still good stuff, it's a good record.
But not what it was made out to be and sometimes a bit pieced-together, that's all.
Just my 2 cents

[abw1987]

I don't think he ever promised to rewrite the playbook from a songwriting perspective. Where he was showcasing a new side of his playing was from a style and technique perspective.

[chtimixeur]

And here I thought we were suppose to do our best to be supportive any AB members on their endeavors while AB is on their off-time and not put any side projects down.

Why should we do that ?
I like Creed, I like AB, and that is for one reason : most of their albums kick major ass.
I don't owe anything to Mark, and if he releases an album I don't like, I don't see why I should pretend I like it.

Mark has showed us greatness over the years, but recently, I think he's really regressed as a songwriter. He's become extremely formulatic (writings parts instead of songs doesn't help), and his "metal complex" is quite silly IMHO. Yup, we've got it, he thinks metal is cool, and he wants to show how much of a metalhead he is. The thing is, IMHO, he's just not a good metal songwriter : he may have the chops as a guitar player technically, but AIS showed he had no idea how to write a proper metal song.

Mark is GREAT at hard rock and post grunge, but since Blackbird, it seems to me he thinks he's too good of a guitar player to be playing power chords, and he has to show off his skills all the time, even if that doesn't benefit the song at all. Maybe one day he'll realize post grunge is not so bad after all, and he'll start writing good songs again. Until then, he'll probably release the same album over and over again.

[anguyen92]

^^ I'm not saying that you should pretend to like the album. Just be optimistic for Tremonti and his new venture of him going into lead singing and his solo band (even if you don't like it), and wish for the best for him. Would you rather wish that they do well or would you rather wish them failure?

[AustinH22]

This album is ok but it makes the anticipation for Myles's solo record that much greater! We've seen him do it by himself with MF4 and all of it was amazing.

I also want to piggy back what chtmixeur was saying about Mark. Nothing he produces is raw anymore which is sad. I want to hear something from the soul, not something he saved on his laptop for years and threw lyrics on.

Now with Myles, all he has is soul. We know it's going to be a heartfelt album and I hope it sees the light of day one day..

[Jhenrid]

I also want to piggy back what chtmixeur was saying about Mark. Nothing he produces is raw anymore which is sad. I want to hear something from the soul, not something he saved on his laptop for years and threw lyrics on.

No offense but the whole reason he made the solo album was so he could use the stuff he had sitting on his harddrive. The material was things he wanted to record but didn't work with Creed or AB. He's said that from the get go so you shouldn't be surprised.

[chtimixeur]

^^ I'm not saying that you should pretend to like the album. Just be optimistic for Tremonti and his new venture of him going into lead singing and his solo band (even if you don't like it), and wish for the best for him. Would you rather wish that they do well or would you rather wish them failure?

Well, call me a selfish, but I don't care about this project being successful or not. All I want is to have goosebumps when I listen to a new song written by Mark Tremonti, and in the last 5 years, it has not happened a lot (Words Darker Than Their Wings being the only exception). In the past, I almost loved every song of his, and with all his recent projects, he's kinda lost the fire he used to have IMHO.

For me, Tremonti is some kind of a "whim", and it doesn't add much to his discography.
I've said it numerous times, but I wish he had the courage to choose one band and stick to it for good, in order to give it 100% of his attention.

Creating songs is not as easy as he thinks it is : you can't just add parts together and hope for the best. For me, his recent outputs (ABIII, Full Circle, All I Was) all sound rushed, and I sometimes wonder if he could have written another masterpiece during those years, instead of releasing 3 average albums. Maybe he's washed-up like 99% of 40 year old artists, I don't know. I secretly hope he's got another great album in him, but I'm not sure I'll ever hear it if the Alter Bridge/Creed/Tremonti cycle keeps on going for years.

[Jim]

ok, thanks

[Dayviewer]

I don't think he ever promised to rewrite the playbook from a songwriting perspective. Where he was showcasing a new side of his playing was from a style and technique perspective.

He said that it would be a more ''heavy metal'' record a few times, which does make sense because in the end there was ''more metal''.
But it was mostly hype from people who got to hear the stuff earlier on who said it was ''mindblowing'' and ''not anything like he has done before''.
Which only dissapointed me big time when the first 3 samples came out and got past the heavy intro. Because then I was presented with the ''same ol' again.
That's why I'm not buying in on ANY hype surrounding ABIV from anyone untill I hear it myself.

[abw1987]

I don't think he ever promised to rewrite the playbook from a songwriting perspective. Where he was showcasing a new side of his playing was from a style and technique perspective.

He said that it would be a more ''heavy metal'' record a few times, which does make sense because in the end there was ''more metal''.
But it was mostly hype from people who got to hear the stuff earlier on who said it was ''mindblowing'' and ''not anything like he has done before''.
Which only dissapointed me big time when the first 3 samples came out and got past the heavy intro. Because then I was presented with the ''same ol' again.
That's why I'm not buying in on ANY hype surrounding ABIV from anyone untill I hear it myself.

LOL - I may have had a hand in that. Truth be told, the album did blow my mind when I first heard it back at the release party, as I mentioned earlier. I think we were all pretty much blown away by how Mark took his technique and metal side to new heights in AIW. Perhaps a lot of people read our reviews, and interpreted them in a way that made it sound like Mark was approaching songwriting in a completely new way, which was obviously not the case.

[TenaciousBe]

Well, call me a selfish, but I don't care about this project being successful or not. All I want is to have goosebumps when I listen to a new song written by Mark Tremonti, and in the last 5 years, it has not happened a lot (Words Darker Than Their Wings being the only exception). In the past, I almost loved every song of his, and with all his recent projects, he's kinda lost the fire he used to have IMHO.

See, this is where I think there are two completely different types of fandom out there. And not every person is the same kind of fan for every band, either. On one hand, you have fans to whom it's about what they receive from the music, from the band. Whether the music alone tickles their fancy. On the other hand, you have people who are fans of the artist, who will support them in any venture they put out regardless of how the music comes out.

When AB was first forming, and I made the decision to help build the foundation of what became this site, without ever hearing a note of the music, I said that no matter what I thought of the music they came out with, I was going to support Alter Bridge because I love Mark, and Flip, and Brian (and later grew into a Myles fan as well), and I wanted to see them be successful. Even if I hated the music, I was still going to support the band. Luckily, they blew my expectations out of the water with ODR. Truth be told, there have been songs (or even most of the Full Circle album) that Mark was a part of that I didn't really dig, but I still support him and his ideas, and the concept of him doing what it is HE wants to do as an artist, regardless of whether it's with AB, Creed, Tremonti, or anything else. It's the same way I feel about Halestorm, Sevendust, Eye Empre, and many of the current "side project" bands from members of those groups, like Projected, Call Me No One, etc.

Now, there are other bands out there to whom I don't feel that same kind of closeness, and as a result, I care more about the music itself. For instance, I used to love Papa Roach, but their last couple albums have been a bit of a turnoff. Same with Shinedown, feels like they're falling out of favor with me because the music isn't capturing me like it used to. Even 3 Days Grace, who was one of my favorites a few years ago, hasn't really caught my attention with the last album - and who knows what comes of them now that Adam is leaving. And in the long run, I'm gathering that Tremonti falls into this kind of category for you.

And there's nothing wrong or right about either type of fandom. There's a time and place for all of it, and some people are going to be more turned on or off by the music, and some are going to stay loyal and supportive of Mark and the project regardless of whether they dig the music or not. If you're not feeling the music lately, that's okay. Not everything is for everybody. I mean, Led Zeppelin didn't write tunes everybody liked. They left that to the Bee Gees.

[chtimixeur]

Nice post, but I can't understand this.

[without ever hearing a note of the music, I said that no matter what I thought of the music they came out with, I was going to support Alter Bridge because I love Mark, and Flip, and Brian (and later grew into a Myles fan as well), and I wanted to see them be successful. Even if I hated the music, I was still going to support the band.

It's not like they're family or you're working for them. You owe them nothing, mate !

[Andy92]

You have to understand the respect a lot of the original members here earned for Mark and the guys during the Creed split. Mark was a class act back then, and it earned him a lot of followers.

[RuRo]

Nice post, but I can't understand this.

[without ever hearing a note of the music, I said that no matter what I thought of the music they came out with, I was going to support Alter Bridge because I love Mark, and Flip, and Brian (and later grew into a Myles fan as well), and I wanted to see them be successful. Even if I hated the music, I was still going to support the band.

It's not like they're family or you're working for them. You owe them nothing, mate !

I disagree with chtimixeur almost completely on his opinions on the music, but reading that post I was thinking this. It's not like you randomly picked an artist out of the air and decided you "love" them (at least I hope it's not). I assume you loved them because you loved some of their music with Creed, so it goes back to supporting artists because they make good music.

If my someone in my family was starting a band I may support them even though I don't like the music, but I wouldn't support some random guys from Florida (good guys though they may be) if I didn't like the music they were making.

And I wish all the guys from Alter Bridge to do well and to make the music they want to, because 1. I'd wish that of any guys who are decent, like the Alter Bridge people are, and 2. I have a huge amount of respect and appreciation for them because of the years of amazing music they've provided. But if they decide to go off and make music I think is terrible, I'm not going to "support" them in terms of buying it or pretending to like it. I'd understand and respect their decision to do what they want because I respect the people, as I said, but from my perspective all I want is more music I can listen to and enjoy, so the bands that are doing that are the ones I support. I'd not for a second claim to be happy that I won't be getting any new Alter Bridge material just because Myles Kennedy or whoever is happier.

[TenaciousBe]

I remain loyal to Mark because he completely rearranged my perspective on what it means to be a "celebrity," what being a musician is all about. If you look at my post in the AB forum, about "your faorite Alter Bridge moment," I went old school and talked about how Mark treated me and my friends at the infamous Chicago Creed show. That night was an incredible eye opener (TL;DR version: on a night when he should have been pissed and told everybody to fuck off, he took time to hang out with a group of fans, talk, take pictures, signed his ping pong equipment and gave it to us, and didn't leave until he was dragged away by his family). And every AB show I've been to since then, he's been the same way - whether it's before or after a show, if you find him out at the bar, by the buses, wherever, he's never had a single rude bone in his body, and in fact, bends over backwards to make the fans feel appreciated. And the other guys are much the same way, I just have more interaction with Mark than anyone else. For being that incredibly cool, and accessible, and humble and appreciative, I have nothing but respect for him. I don't have to be in love with every song he makes to support him as an artist, and the idea that he go out and do what he thinks is best, and what he enjoys. The fact that I DO love 95% of his music is just a sweet, sweet bonus.

[austin.]

Older thread, but just wanted to say this is probably my favorite album of all time.
I listen to it everyday, and get excited when I listen to it. Front to back, it's perfect. I'll never forget the Nashville show being front row, mic stand perfectly symmetrical to me. I was rocking out more than anyone there. my right hand was like stuck in horn stance. Drove 6 hours, clutch leg was so sore, my bestfriends 18th birthday was that day so he came with me. He tagged along with me for a few months at college and All I Was was our album we'd always jam to in the car.
Just wanted to say i fucking love this album and share a small story. I often stare at my signed PRS and think back on the show

[TenaciousBe]

Older thread, but just wanted to say this is probably my favorite album of all time.
I listen to it everyday, and get excited when I listen to it. Front to back, it's perfect. I'll never forget the Nashville show being front row, mic stand perfectly symmetrical to me. I was rocking out more than anyone there. my right hand was like stuck in horn stance. Drove 6 hours, clutch leg was so sore, my bestfriends 18th birthday was that day so he came with me. He tagged along with me for a few months at college and All I Was was our album we'd always jam to in the car.
Just wanted to say i fucking love this album and share a small story. I often stare at my signed PRS and think back on the show

That's awesome, man!

You know, some time has now gone by since this thread was really going, and I have to say that taking some time away from the album has made me appreciate it even more. I've enjoyed it since I first had it, but I listened so much around last summer/fall that I started to take it a little for granted, got a little too used to it. Didn't listen for a couple months, and came back to it in the car a few weeks ago and was once again blown away. I love it, top to bottom, left to right, inside and out. I wasn't blown away by the recent All That I Got release, and I'm glad that was a b-side, but the songs that did make the album are pretty close to perfection for me.

[austin.]

Heres a picture for reference, i have the Pantera shirt on
http://www.musicnewsnashville.com/archi ... C00264.jpg