This review was probably something posted previously on Epinions.com by a writer named petey_2. Fea...
This review was probably something posted previously on Epinions.com by a writer named petey_2. Fear not; I am this fabled petey_2. Plagiarism hath no home in me. Thanks!
Member since:01.01.2006
Reviews:3
(Hopefully this will clear up the madness; This review was written by petey_2 on Epinions.com, but I must refuse all declarations of plagiarism because, frankly, I am that very same petey_2 from Epinions.com. Sorry for not specifying before now, forgive me and enjoy the read.)
I have found that the writing of introductory paragraphs to my reviews is a very bothersome and tiring affair that I think I shall soon give up altogether. Though of course I've got to put SOMETHING here before we actually get into the meat of the thing, so here it is. I hope you found this paragraph wholly unenlightening.
"In Your Honor" is simultaneously an inane blast of mad buffoonery and a crushing wall of musical emotion; half a musical take on hungry kids let loose in a candy shop, the other half a sacred, ritualistic cleansing of self, of mind and body... leaving nothing but feeling. "In Your Honor" is an album that rolls you in feeling, deep-fries you in ambience, and serves you on a platter of emotive release. Dave Grohl hands you over the counter in slow motion, speaking, whispering... "You want fries with that?"
Naturally, most of this impossible beauty that has me aghast comes, you doubtlessly assume, from the latter of "In You Honor"'s two discs, it being the disc designated for the soft, 'pretty' half of the project. I can't disagree that, initially, the second disc is what had me in the palm of its cushiony hand, and when you hear it, you'll know why. 'Still,' the disc's opener, is a lush, green meadow of sound, slipping in between those small gaps that you don't know you have in your heart, and makes you feel whole. Atmosphere hasn't been this thick since A Perfect Circle's
"Thirteenth Step," an album rife with extensive concentration on mood and feel. Nothing on "Honor" is as abstract as APC, obviously, but it all accomplishes itself in being triumphantly surreal, and equally gorgeous.
'Friend of a Friend' is Grohl and his guitar, serenading us something close to an actual story:
"He needs a quiet room With a lock to keep him in It's just a quiet room And he's in...
He's never been in love but he knows just what love is... He thinks he drinks too much Cuz when he tells his two best friends 'I think I drink too much,' No one speaks
He plays an old guitar... It was his friend's guitar That he played... When he plays No one speaks"
I feel I can safely say Grohl has never, ever sounded better, and proof is in that song, shown simply by the passion infused within. The man is rolling, deep-frying and serving up HIMSELF here, offering a slice of fresh crispy soul to all those who partake a listen. Tracks that glide and soar like 'On the Mend,' have the lightly plodding beats of 'Miracle' and the softly dense triumph of album closer 'Razor' display similar traits of real personal devotion from the band to truly give themselves to the soul of the song. The Norah Jones collaboration on 'Virginia Moon' flows exquisitely, Grohl and Jones' voices complimenting eachother to admirable extent. Their overlying harmonies are accented by continuous, pleasant thump from the bass and twittering guitar, providing a lightly jazzy groove, perhaps distantly akin to 'For All the Cows' from the Foo's debut disc ten years ago.
"Are you there... do you read me? I don't feel you anymore..." is the chorus wandering through the airy 'Over and Out,' a song that feels huge and small... a deep, rumbling whisper. 'What If I Do?' is lovely and simple, alluding back to the band's past acoustic works like 'Walking After You' and 'Ain't it the Life?.' Grohl puts on a magnificent performance with his harmonica on 'Another Round,' a slightly country-ish tune using the guitar's choppy flow to emphasize a thick percussive movement that mulls in the background, one of the defining aspects of the song. Drummer Taylor Hawkins rules the mike on 'Cold Day in the Sun,' a song that jumps around excitedly as much as it soberly laments "looks like the bleeding heart has already won." His voice is thin, but full and strong, and takes nothing away from the heart-wrenching qualities of everything else to be heard.
And as majestic as I make this second disc sound, the real accomplishment is in the first. Because the first not only captures this sweet nectar of an acoustic disc, it builds a musical Empire State Building on top of it, while tossing in a bit of the fun, classic Foo formula.
'DOA' is perhaps the finest example of this. The verses and chorus are intensely tight and poppy, even as it flexes some real muscle while Grohl shouts "it's a SHAME we have to die my dear, but NO one's getting out here a-liiiive.... this time..." 'No Way Back' carries on in much the same way, sport a magnificent hook and truly, truly awesome, nearly triumphant vocals. Grohl is seriously becoming one of the greatest vocalists if our modern age, someone I'd place on the same level as Chris Cornell, Ed Vedder or Maynard James Keenan. Each guy has their own style, no doubt, but the power and emotional weight they carry cannot be disputed.
For unquestionable proof of this, look no further than the album's searing, grandiose opening, 'In Your Honor.' Never, I think, have I ever found a song that is at once monstrous and magnificent as this one here. A vast, unseen power exudes from the mere wiff of feedback that opens the song, the opening chords descending and rising like a phoenix, Grohl's voice defines passion as he belts "Can you HEAR MEEE!?!?!... Me SCREA-MIIING!!!!!!" Scream he truly does, but his abrasive yells soar like an eagle, the guitars taking flight with him, surging, writhing in a cesspool of inhuman glory. I cannot describe it. It is the most beautiful wall of complete noise I've ever heard.
Lead single 'Best of You' has somehow almost managed to match 'Honor' in its epic nature, in its simultaneous ferocity and artfulness. I really felt it to be slightly disappointing the first time I heard it on the radio, but it's totally at home in this collection, and it feels unmeasurably better because of it. 'Resolve' is probably the quietest of the disc one's rockers, but it also may be one of the best. Of course, I could also be saying that about disc closer 'End Over End,' or perhaps 'the Deepest Blues are Black,' because each one harbors enormous levels of energy and grit, a huge musical slap to the face for the new rockers of our era, Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin, Smile Empty Soul and the like. The vocals fly on the wings of angels, the verses sliding and gliding over eachother, with songs often beginning with half the volume and intensity that they've gained at its end. Alighting softly and harshly on your heartstrings, the band is pulling here, twisting there, using honesty and vitality as weapons to disarm your soul.
And so, the way I see it, if you're looking to add one of 2005's true masterpieces to your archive, you probably should get this. It could be the best of the lot.
DISC 1: 1....In Your Honor 2....No Way Back 3....Best of You 4....DOA 5....Hell 6....the Last Song 7....Free Me 8....Resolve 9....the Deepest Blues Are Black 10..End Over End
DISC 2: 1....Still 2....What If I Do? 3....Miracle 4....Another Round 5....Friend of a Friend 6....Over and Out 7....On the Mend 8....Virginia Moon 9....Cold Day in the Sun 10..Razor
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Good review, after reading reviews such as your i was inspired to go and buy it and it was definately worth it! It's a really great CD.
Playgirl27 01.01.2006 23:19
Great review, foo fighter are cool, lou xx
Weak-n-Weary 01.01.2006 22:28
Thanks to all of you who forgave my little mishap. I'm glad you're on the ball with the plagiarism thing... we have that problem at Epinions as well, and I should've made it much more clear about my review. Sorry again, and thank you again. :-D
Inspired by the American public that Dave Grohl met on the trail while campaigning for ... more
John Kerry during the 2004 US Election campaign, In Your Honour could easily have fallen flat, a casualty of George W Bushs triumphant return to the Whitehouse. That...
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Disc 1 In Your Honor No Way Back Best Of You DOA Hell The Last Song Free Me Resolve The ... more
Deepest Blues Are Back End Over End Disc 2 Still What If I Do Miracle Another Round Friend Of A Friend Over 'N' Out On The Mend Virginia Moon Cold Day In The Sun Ra...
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Inspired by the American public that Dave Grohl met on the trail while campaigning for ... more
John Kerry during the 2004 US Election campaign,In Your Honourcould easily have fallen flat, a casualty of George W Bushs triumphant return to the Whitehouse. That i...
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Advantages: Quite catchy tracks, something for everyone some good guitar riffs etc. Disadvantages: Some tracks not memorable, the mix of track types may make it seem like they lack real direction
IzzyS 14.04.2009 (14.04.2009)
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Jan 1st, 2006
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