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Another Bout of Reviews
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Posted by: admin | 07/26/2007 at 10:40
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[The Daily Iowan]
*** out of *****
With the dependability of Dennis Kucinich, Bad Religion unleashes another anthemic bruiser every few years to keep in check the snot-nosed kids who think they can play three chords better and faster.
Closing in on the guys' third decade, the elder statesmen of Los Angeles punk offer up New Maps of Hell, their 14th set of politically charged tunes.
[...]
[siuDE.com - Southern Illinois University Carbondale]
Despite nearly 30 years of crafting melodic, hard-nosed and politically astute punk, Bad Religion proves it has yet to lose its fire on the incendiary "New Maps of Hell."
[...]
It would be easy to dismiss "New Maps of Hell" as a simple retread of the group's past, but the album largely builds upon the past rather than blithely reliving it. While there's room for improvement here, these aged punks still crank out better material more consistently than any of their younger peers. If Bad Religion's latest does, in fact, provide a map into Hell, it's definitely a trip worth making.
[UK Guardian]
[...]
It's hard to know what's more depressing: that songs like Requiem for Dissent could have been written 15 years ago or 15 minutes ago and have equal relevance, or that despite their best intentions Bad Religion will never be more than the most politically astute band to get the kids moshing on the Vans Warped tour.
Santa Cruz Sentinel
If you're on the search for a real artistic message from a band that has never been prone to whining or self-aggrandizing, I urge you to check out BAD RELIGION'S latest, "New Maps of Hell," released July 10 on Epitaph Records.
You'd think after 20 years of bashing the establishment with hyper-literate punk rock, Bad Religion would have mellowed a bit. But then came the Bush administration, and Bad Religion's rancor was raised yet again, although this time, it's also tainted with some helplessness.
[Kane Country Chronicle]
2 Stars
If you?ve heard a Bad Religion album you?ll probably think you?ve heard this one before.
?New Maps of Hell? is more along the lines of Bad Religion?s ?Generator? release than the more-current ?The Process of Belief.?
Signature Bad Religion elements such as driving punk beats and choruses of ?ahh, ahh? and ?whoa, whoa? are here.
Also present is Greg Graffin?s super smart lyrics. Now a professor at UCLA, Graffin never has a problem channeling his intelligence with big words and creative twists. His work saves this release.
Most of the songs on ?New Maps of Hell? are relatively cookie cutter efforts.
The album wraps up with ?Fields of Mars,? which has a great piano intro.
For a short moment you think Bad Religion is trying something different. All hope is lost when the piano stops and they break into the same song you?ve heard on the previous 15 tracks.
If you like the classic Bad Religion sound, this one is for you. These guys aren?t adapting to the times any time soon.
[Cinema Blend]
If Iggy Pop is the godfather of punk, then Bad Religion is the midwife, and the band continues to prove this with its new release, New Maps of Hell. With their high-energy, pounding sound, chockfull of rapidly thumping drums and take-no-prisoners hyper-chord changes, these aging punksters show they still know how to produce powerful, politically charged punk rock.
[...]
The best thing about New Maps of Hell is the political content found in the lyrics, something Bad Religion is famous for. In "Requiem for Dissent," Greg Graffin sings, "Oratory of hope and glory a whisper and a rhyme/An effigy, a soldier out of time/Citizen and patriot you can't be far behind/The funeral is weighting heavy on your mind." It?s not a far stretch to see a commentary on America?s blighted foreign policy.
So if you want a fast-paced punk album with something relevant to say, filled with a long list of short, in-your-face songs, then New Maps of Hell will lead you straight to heaven... and yes, I know that?s cheesy.
*** out of *****
With the dependability of Dennis Kucinich, Bad Religion unleashes another anthemic bruiser every few years to keep in check the snot-nosed kids who think they can play three chords better and faster.
Closing in on the guys' third decade, the elder statesmen of Los Angeles punk offer up New Maps of Hell, their 14th set of politically charged tunes.
[...]
[siuDE.com - Southern Illinois University Carbondale]
Despite nearly 30 years of crafting melodic, hard-nosed and politically astute punk, Bad Religion proves it has yet to lose its fire on the incendiary "New Maps of Hell."
[...]
It would be easy to dismiss "New Maps of Hell" as a simple retread of the group's past, but the album largely builds upon the past rather than blithely reliving it. While there's room for improvement here, these aged punks still crank out better material more consistently than any of their younger peers. If Bad Religion's latest does, in fact, provide a map into Hell, it's definitely a trip worth making.
[UK Guardian]
[...]
It's hard to know what's more depressing: that songs like Requiem for Dissent could have been written 15 years ago or 15 minutes ago and have equal relevance, or that despite their best intentions Bad Religion will never be more than the most politically astute band to get the kids moshing on the Vans Warped tour.
Santa Cruz Sentinel
If you're on the search for a real artistic message from a band that has never been prone to whining or self-aggrandizing, I urge you to check out BAD RELIGION'S latest, "New Maps of Hell," released July 10 on Epitaph Records.
You'd think after 20 years of bashing the establishment with hyper-literate punk rock, Bad Religion would have mellowed a bit. But then came the Bush administration, and Bad Religion's rancor was raised yet again, although this time, it's also tainted with some helplessness.
[Kane Country Chronicle]
2 Stars
If you?ve heard a Bad Religion album you?ll probably think you?ve heard this one before.
?New Maps of Hell? is more along the lines of Bad Religion?s ?Generator? release than the more-current ?The Process of Belief.?
Signature Bad Religion elements such as driving punk beats and choruses of ?ahh, ahh? and ?whoa, whoa? are here.
Also present is Greg Graffin?s super smart lyrics. Now a professor at UCLA, Graffin never has a problem channeling his intelligence with big words and creative twists. His work saves this release.
Most of the songs on ?New Maps of Hell? are relatively cookie cutter efforts.
The album wraps up with ?Fields of Mars,? which has a great piano intro.
For a short moment you think Bad Religion is trying something different. All hope is lost when the piano stops and they break into the same song you?ve heard on the previous 15 tracks.
If you like the classic Bad Religion sound, this one is for you. These guys aren?t adapting to the times any time soon.
[Cinema Blend]
If Iggy Pop is the godfather of punk, then Bad Religion is the midwife, and the band continues to prove this with its new release, New Maps of Hell. With their high-energy, pounding sound, chockfull of rapidly thumping drums and take-no-prisoners hyper-chord changes, these aging punksters show they still know how to produce powerful, politically charged punk rock.
[...]
The best thing about New Maps of Hell is the political content found in the lyrics, something Bad Religion is famous for. In "Requiem for Dissent," Greg Graffin sings, "Oratory of hope and glory a whisper and a rhyme/An effigy, a soldier out of time/Citizen and patriot you can't be far behind/The funeral is weighting heavy on your mind." It?s not a far stretch to see a commentary on America?s blighted foreign policy.
So if you want a fast-paced punk album with something relevant to say, filled with a long list of short, in-your-face songs, then New Maps of Hell will lead you straight to heaven... and yes, I know that?s cheesy.
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08/03/2007 at 16:31
I think NMOH is more uneven than TESF. While TESF has only excellent songs from start to stop NMOH has a few medium quality songs. Heros and Martyrs is overrated. I'm stoked about Honest Goodbye, Grains of Wrath and Submission Complete.
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07/30/2007 at 10:10
well, I personally think its not as good as Empire and even a friend who isn't a fan but likes that album agrees - not as diverse which is what gave Empire the edge. It is still a pretty kick-ass album though, compared to anything else that is on the scene. It has some great Bad Religion songs on it! If this is the quality that they're going to continue putting albums out at, then I say keep making albums!
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07/29/2007 at 12:23
"Mr.Anderson"?
Nope, whoever that is. "A" is my abbreviated first name - which you can find somewhere in the archives of this page. |
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07/28/2007 at 23:01
I fully believe now that Mr.A is in fact, Mr.Anderson.
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07/28/2007 at 13:31
"These guys aren?t adapting to the times any time soon."
Means: "They still don't embrace the corporatization of our western societies, they still reject the idea of ignorant flag-waving idiocy and blind dogma, they are still spreading their dangerous ideas of global citizenship and philanthropy, they're still encouraging individuality and freedom of thought and speech, they are unfaltering and seem to soldier on as long as the see fit, the way they see fit. In short: They could make our children think for themselves - and this is unacceptable. |
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07/27/2007 at 20:36
The Guardian are a hard bunch to please, aren't they? I can sort of see where they're coming from though, even if they do only scratch the surface.
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07/27/2007 at 07:17
**most** reviewers, the first sentence should say.
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07/27/2007 at 07:16
Is anyone surprised that reviewers are, at best, just well-meaning ignoramuses? Unless you read a review by a longtime BR fan (which you often do, as they are so influential) you're getting a very superficial commentary from someone with very superficial knowledge of the band and their music.
Writing about music is a tricky endeavor anyway; the best reviews are still quite maladroit at describing Bad Religion's sound, using words like driving, aggressive, rancor, hard-nosed, melodic, buzz-saw, blah blah blah ad nauseam. The Kane County Chronicle reviewer doesn't even seem aware that Graffin AND Gurewitz write songs for BR. Sheesh. I've yet to see a published review that really shows a sophisticated understanding of any Bad Religion lyrics. I realize most people don't get into a band for lyrics at first, but if there was ever a band to make an exception for, Bad Religion could be it. |
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07/27/2007 at 02:25
How do these people really expect the album to sound? Like something they've never heard before and something that BR has never done and wouldn't ever expect them to do? Well then it wouldn't be Bad Religion dammit!
Seriously I'd rather have Bad Religion stick to their same writing and musical style rather than be a fake and try to fit into the current trend of music. I give them more credit for them to be able to release this album and stay true to their roots. A lot of these reviews suck, and I know this because they rarely go into more detail than "This song sounds the same as (insert song here)" or "This album sounds like every other BR album blahahalah". I've had enough of it. |
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07/27/2007 at 00:57
The new album sounds pretty great to me. Any band that lasts this long and is still woth commenting on are bound to experience a whole spectrum of reactions, depending on the listener's or reviewer's take on how they think the band should develop: 'It's too fast....'or 'It's too slow...' or 'They sound the same....' or 'They don't play the way they used to....' etc. It just comes down to the quality of the songs and most of the songs on the new album are great. The only negatives for me with the album is the production which is not very clear (no doubt intentional)like for example ATG or TGR. For me Grand Delusion is the one weakish song and i wished they didnt do that opening riffy bit before the vocals start on Prodigal Son. That aside its pretty much classic BR to me - i love the album.
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07/26/2007 at 23:26
Hm. I don't get it either. What do they really expect out of this band? Another new wave album? Seriously. NMOH was better than I could ever have hoped it was going to be.
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07/26/2007 at 23:19
I don't agree with all of the bad mouthingthey do but I do agree with a lot of what's being written by them :-/
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07/26/2007 at 23:04
Erm...why do critics seem to hate New Maps of Hell? Fuckin' amazing album...I guess they're just full of shit.
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