W2MN .. REVIEWED

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Re: W2MN .. REVIEWED

Post by James1981 » Thu Sep 08, 2011 6:01 pm

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Re: W2MN .. REVIEWED

Post by dadascot » Thu Sep 08, 2011 6:50 pm

I have just read the Kerrang review. Superb! This is the review we have been waiting for. This is the first main Rock magazine review I have read for the album and this will have a lot more impact on general rock fans than those online reviews from people I, for one, have never heard of. I hope that this is just the first great review from mainline rock journalists.

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Re: W2MN .. REVIEWED

Post by James1981 » Thu Sep 08, 2011 6:55 pm

I should get the latest issue of Classic Rock in the post tomorrow. You would think that as they are doing the fan pack that they will have a review in this issue to promote it. If they do i will post it up here.
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Re: W2MN .. REVIEWED

Post by Darren » Thu Sep 08, 2011 8:47 pm

[quote="GailsFriend"]Darren said:
"Alice took a chance with this album, he tried different vocal stylings, and effects. This is a departure of what we know Alice to be. That is taking a chance...and that chance is some people not liking it because it is different. It doesn't make them any less of a fan or have less perspective. In fact, they are looking at things in perspective to what Alice has done in the past...which this record is very different from."


Um, Alice has taken SO many chances with his career and life, that it's AMAZING that:

1) he is alive, because he nearly died from being an alcoholic
2) he is still making music, in any form
3) he still has a large fanbase after all the different musical "chances" over 42 years.

Most musicians' careers would die and have died because of some of the things Alice has done:

1) create concept albums
2) break up with original band and go solo
3) change or infuse different musical styles and themes
4) being controversial, tasteless, or obnoxious

Um...I'm not sure what you're getting at...My point is some of us are going to like it and some are not - because of the different directions this album is going. That is taking a chance, trying something new...yeah, of course Alice has taken chances through his career (no kidding)...it doesen't mean he is always or will always be successful. When you take your chances sometimes is works out and sometimes not. But at least he has the guts to try.

You were upset at what some reviewer had said,(so what?)and just because you didn't think he had all the albums...why would you need all of them to review a new album? How do you know he doesen't have all the albums?, how do you know he is too young to appreciate Alice? Is there an age restriction on being an Alice fan that I'm not aware of?

Some of us are not going to like the album...so what?

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Re: W2MN .. REVIEWED

Post by AlongCameASpider27 » Thu Sep 08, 2011 9:22 pm

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Re: W2MN .. REVIEWED

Post by HORRORHOLIC » Thu Sep 08, 2011 9:30 pm

I'm listening to Rockline right now. Everytime they are about to play a new song a turn the volume down, check back to the post showing how long each song is and wait until that time has passed to turn the volume back up. Thats how much I don't wanna hear anything yet haha
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Re: W2MN .. REVIEWED

Post by killer_juju » Thu Sep 08, 2011 9:57 pm

I have listened to the album over and over, and it's just not that great. Half of the album is good, but there's no brilliance or genius behind it. The music is primarily in the same vein as the last three Alice albums besides the three songs with the modern flourishes, and due to this nothing stands out as innovative. The three tracks with the original ACG members are by far the best. Lyrically, Alice is still stuck in the over the top, tongue in cheek vein that he has been doing since the mid-80s, and he seems to have a harder time coming up with lyrics to drive a story as witnessed on ACAS.

As I said the three ACG songs are good, as well as another 3 or 4 songs. But as I said Alice used to be innovative and push boundaries, but that is no more. Nothing on this album compares to anything on the original, and this album also has the more straight forward rock and power pop sound as witnessed on the last three albums. Where Alice used to be the innovator, he is now copping other ideas from others.

I'll Bite Your Face Off is a good song, but it is a rewrite of late 60s-era Rolling Stones with a Jumpin' Jack Flash and Honky Tonk Women styled riff. Last Man On Earth is a good song in the vein of newer Tom Waits. Ghouls Gone Wild has a new wave/punk riff with some surf style music...It sits somewhere between new Green Day, The Ramones, and The Trashmen. What Baby Wants sounds like more reminiscent of Beat It by Michael Jackson then I Wanna Make Love To You by Kiss as some people have mentioned.

The Nightmare Returns and The Congregation sound like they could've been on the original album. A Runaway Train and When Hell Comes Home are my favorite songs. They sound like they could've been on an album between Killer and School's Out.

Bloodbath Disco Fever is the worst misstep that Alice has ever made. Alice sounds absolutely out of touch trying to rap even if it is poking fun at the genre. It just doesn't benefit, add to, or come off as needed or innovative. The autotune vocoder takes away from I Am Made Of You, because it's a needless distraction which makes what could've been the best song on the album almost intolerable. Gotta Get Outta Here has the laziest lyric writing of the album (which is saying a lot, because there are some lazy pieces in a lot of this album), and it leads to one big anticlimactic ending.

I also do not understand why he had to make a 'part 2' of this saga, i personally enjoy 'Goes To Hell' as the follow-up to Steven's saga. I understand that many people were not happy with it, because it was not the 'rock n' roll' followup that many people wanted, but the experimenting and change in sound made the story work even better especially compared to this album.

I think the biggest issue that I have is the fact that this album has none of the dark atmoshpere of the earlier original or Goes To hell. It's all about b-movie tongue in cheek humor...There is not one ounce of black humor in the concept which made the original not only enjoyable with a touch of fun, but also a bit decadent (Where did the vaudeville influence go, Alice?) Cold Ethyl was a fantastic and humorous song, but it also presented a darkness with the necrophilia concept. I'll Bite Your Face Off however is not dark at all...It's just a silly piece of shlock. Musically it's great, but the lyrics and delivery of them just doesn't create the atmosphere of the original.

It's kind of like how Freddy Krueger became a silly parody of himself by the end of the original series. It's still a little fun, but it's not original, creative, or mindblowing which in turn means it's not necessary to begin with.

All in all, half the album is decent and listenable, but that's really about it. I think naming this W2MN and saying that parts of the album were intended to resemble the sound of Welcome to My Nightmare and music from the 1970s is a big misstep, because not even half the album evokes that period. He said "if we can keep that going, it will really be something. It captures an era," but sadly it did not continue in that manner, and I think many people are not going to get what they expected. Maybe that is the double edged sword of making a follow up to a classic concept album?
Last edited by killer_juju on Thu Sep 08, 2011 10:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: W2MN .. REVIEWED

Post by moonshadow » Thu Sep 08, 2011 10:06 pm

I have no pre-conceptions & will listen to the album & make my own mind up.
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Re: W2MN .. REVIEWED

Post by killer_juju » Thu Sep 08, 2011 10:08 pm

For anybody who doesn't want to hear or know anything about the album or have preconceptions, why do you even open up the forum discussions that might have spoilers or others opinions?

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Re: W2MN .. REVIEWED

Post by Shoesalesman » Fri Sep 09, 2011 1:40 am

killer_juju wrote:Nothing on this album compares to anything on the original
How can it? It's set many decades later, with different technology, different players at different stages and ages in their lives.
killer_juju wrote:It's all about b-movie tongue in cheek humor...
That's a huge part of Alice's character though, a part that's been present on many albums. It's surely nothing new.
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Re: W2MN .. REVIEWED

Post by darkmenace » Fri Sep 09, 2011 1:53 am

I enjoyed the Rockline interview and I really like a lot of the new songs, especially Caffeine and the Congregation. Still haven't heard everything.

I've been very critical of the album design but so far I think the music is very good. I like it when Alice tries his hand at different musical styles and adds tongue in cheek humor. This surely isn't for everybody and in that way Alice is a risk-taker musically. He could just give people 14 hard rock songs but it's not what he likes to do.

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Re: W2MN .. REVIEWED

Post by unafraid » Fri Sep 09, 2011 1:57 am

Listened to it maybe 7-8 times in the past 3 days. Except for the super lame Last Man on Earth and What Baby Wants, I dig it. That said, that's not his best work. ACAS was musically weaker but more cohesive. I liked it. Still immensely enjoyable.

My favorites:

I Am Made of You (which strangely enough sounds like Dam Would Break by Toad the Wet Sprocket, another band I like)
I'll Bite Your Face Off (sounds a bit like Sideshow)
Disco Bloodbath Boogie Fever (awesome back vocals)
Ghouls Gone Wild (sounds like Woman of Mass Distraction vs Between High School and Old School)
The Congregation
I gotta get outta here
Caffeine (sounds a bit like Cold Ethyl meets something off The Eyes of Alice Cooper)

Oh, and Alice definitely sounds like Weird Al at times on the album, which is bit disturbing.
Last edited by unafraid on Fri Sep 09, 2011 2:09 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: W2MN .. REVIEWED

Post by RemarkablyInsincere » Fri Sep 09, 2011 1:59 am

killer_juju wrote:Cold Ethyl was a fantastic and humorous song, but it also presented a darkness with the necrophilia concept. I'll Bite Your Face Off however is not dark at all...It's just a silly piece of shlock. Musically it's great, but the lyrics and delivery of them just doesn't create the atmosphere of the original.
Sorry, but I find nothing even remotely dark about "Cold Ethyl".
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Re: W2MN .. REVIEWED

Post by Devon » Fri Sep 09, 2011 3:00 am

killer_juju wrote:Nothing on this album compares to anything on the original,
You sure?
The Nightmare Returns and The Congregation sound like they could've been on the original album.
====
I also do not understand why he had to make a 'part 2' of this saga,
He didn't have to.


I think many people are not going to get what they expected.
Good.

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Re: W2MN .. REVIEWED

Post by killer_juju » Fri Sep 09, 2011 3:54 am

I said it doesn't compare. Those two songs are not in the same league as the original. The styling is the same, but not in the same class.

And the reason, I said 'i do not understand why he had to make a part 2 is because this album cheapens the original.

And no, it is not good when in an interview you say that it is cut from the same cloth for the most part as the original, but instead it is completely different.

As for Cold Ethyl and most of the original album, it was rooted in black humor. This album is just silly. It's not a nightmare at all. In movie terms, the original 'Nightmare' could be thought of as Child's Play, because although it had some silly moments, it had an atmosphere brought about by a dark humor which made it work. The new album is more like Seed Of Chucky or Bride Of Chucky...It has the character and the pieces, but it's rooted in silliness and lacks creativity and atmosphere and in the end, I just sat through the album and was left bored. Sure, I laughed at the absurdity of Alice rapping or the cheese of his duet with Kesha, but the laughs were at the delivery and not the content/concept that I found refreshing and humorous from the original album.

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Re: W2MN .. REVIEWED

Post by GailsFriend » Fri Sep 09, 2011 4:32 am

For anyone who has a negative view of the album, I am gonna follow the wisdom of While Heaven Wept, who said...

"The way i look at it is that these reviewers are almost totally clinically brain-dead and should do the world a favour and throw themselves off a high building."

This is what I say...."The album is brilliant. Period."
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Re: W2MN .. REVIEWED

Post by steven15322 » Fri Sep 09, 2011 5:33 am

I think the album is excellent. I don't get why some dislike it so much? It has everything I like about Alice :alice: Very awesome songs in my opinion.

To each their own..I am sure there were people who hated the original too when it came out being it was a departure from the bands albums.

What I always liked so much about Alice albums is the diversity in the material. and he doesn't disappointment here.

I feel this album is totally a classic. Maybe the ones that dont like it it will grow on them?
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Re: W2MN .. REVIEWED

Post by Cozzie » Fri Sep 09, 2011 6:34 am

So I've had about a week to become acquainted with Welcome 2 My Nightmare and here are my thoughts...

First, I'll put things in context. The last classic Alice Cooper album, for me, was 1991's Hey Stoopid. There was not a bad song on that album and the big Desmond Child-style choruses were to die for. I don't expect or believe that Alice or any other one of my favourite artists will make another album that good.

I've never gotten into The Last Temptation. Brutal Planet and especially Dragontown were great stylistic albums but you have to be in the mood for Nu-metal. They are also quite depressing to listen to. The Eyes of Alice Cooper had its moments but it wasn't one of his best. Dirty Diamonds was for the most part, superb. It had Alice doing some really different things but was at times a victim of its own versatility; still the best since Hey Stoopid IMO. Along Came a Spider had four exceptional songs (Wake the Dead, Killed by Love, Salvation and I Am the Spider) but the rest of it was well below average.

The original Welcome to My Nightmare album would sit in the #5-10 range in terms of my favourite Alice albums. Some of it suffers from being a film soundtrack (Years Ago, Steven, The Awakening, Welcome to My Nightmare) but there are six songs on the album that are among the best Alice has ever recorded (Devils Food, The Black Widow, Department of Youth, Cold Ethyl, Only Women Bleed and Escape.)

Which brings us to September 2011 and Welcome 2 My Nightmare.

The opening track, I Am Made of You seems to have established itself among fans as the best song on the album. While it sets up the album strongly, it could do more for me. It's not what I would expect from the song that Alice co-wrote with Desmond Child. The beginning is very reminiscent of the original Welcome to My Nightmare album; it's dark and theatrical. Then, it becomes clear that Alice is using autotune. Something which has already proven to be exceptionally controversial among fans. I'm not entirely pleased about its use but it is worth noting that Alice is using it as a stylistic choice rather than to enhance his vocals. He is also doing it quite openly, which is a bold move and makes it more acceptable for me. I Am Made of You is an epic track and I love the drumming during the chorus. Lyrically, it could be better - it doesn't really go anywhere which is quite typical of the modern Alice Cooper track. Unfortunately, the use of autotune probably means that I won't selectively go back to this one on a regular basis as I find the effect quite fatiguing. It's a shame because musically it's something special. I'd give the opener a 7/10.

Caffeine is my favourite track on the album and could well be my favourite Alice song since Hard Rock Summer (a Constrictor outtake from 1986!) I love the punk attitude Alice displays on this one. The opening line forces its way in early and the song doesn't let up from there. The opening guitar bit is awesome too. The lyrics are sensational. The imagery is very strong and the theme is very reminiscent of Nightmare on Elm Street. It would make the perfect theme song to that film. The big chorus is not unlike Alice of the eighties and that just draws me in more. The isolated vocal section is awesome too. I could almost swear that this one was left over from 1980's Flush the Fashion, my second favourite Alice album! The only post-Flush the Fashion track which had this kind of punk attitude was Sunset Babies from Dirty Diamonds, another favourite of mine. I love the way Alice spirals into a desperate addict towards the end of the track before finally giving in to his body's demands for him to sleep. I cannot fault this one, it's perfect! 11/10.

The Nightmare Returns brings back the Steven persona from the original Nightmare album. Alice's childlike singalong voice makes its first appearance since Wind Up Toy from Hey Stoopid. This really effectively brings back the original Nightmare theme that dominated Side Two of the 1975 album. I wish there were a couple more segue tracks like this towards the end of the album. The big instrumental section warns of impending doom. 8/10.

Runaway Train is interesting in that it contains no chorus. Alice was inspired by the Bob Dylan tracks such as Highway 61 Revisited here. The surreal imagery and narration style really reflects this. I actually find it to be sound more like The Rolling Stones. The vocal melody is very Jagger-esque and the backing track that gives the feeling of a runaway train is quite like The Stones rhythm section. It is impossible for me to hear the vocal melody without thinking of Dance Yourself to Death, Alice's previous Rolling Stones replica, from 1980. This track is just as good. I love the Dylan-like narration and the guitars are heavy and give the sense of being on the edge. 8/10.

Just when a rock theme was emerging, the album takes a turn for the weird with the vaudeville track Last Man on Earth. The original Nightmare album did exactly the same thing at the same point with Some Folks. Like the former, Last Man on Earth is an unlikely success. This is probably even more catchy than Some Folks which had that unforgettable piano riff. Alice diehards will immediately make the comparison between this and the jazzy Crazy Little Child from Muscle of Love. While the Broadway sound is quite pleasant, Alice's vocals still manage to snarl and remain very much in character. I can't really imagine Alice performing this show-tune live but I'd love to see him tackle it. It's a winner. 9/10.

The Congregation has received huge praise already in Alice fan circles. It's another BIG song in a similar fashion to I Am Made of You. Many have suggested this sounds like Oasis; being a big Oasis fan, I can see why but I don't necessarily agree. Alice's vocals are somewhat Liam Gallagher-esque in the way that they are stretched in the chorus to be loosely reminiscent of John Lennon. The way the loud guitars kick in at the beginning is awesome. The lyrics are quite comical, especially Alice's brief monologue in the middle. I wish he did more of that on the album. I love the way the music sort of claps after Alice sings, "Welcome to the congregation." This is a nice blend of humour and doom, something which Brutal Planet and Dragontown were missing. Definitely the best Alice has sounded vocally in a long time. 8/10.

Next up is the single I'll Bite Your Face Off. I wasn't a big fan of this track the first fifteen-or-so times I heard it but I definitely understand why it was chosen to promote the album. It is the track that sounds most like how the casual fan would expect Alice to sound. It's another strong nod to The Rolling Stones here and in that respect, it's a success. The chorus is another big one that will please those who only own Trash from Alice's extensive discography (there's plenty of those out there!) It is one of the most melodic songs on the album. The lyrics are as upfront as the song title but Alice isn't known for beating around the bush. I'm still warming to this one but I'm beginning to respect it more. 8/10, I'm feeling generous!

Side One of the album complete and not one dud! Could it continue? Unfortunately not. Disco Bloodbath Boogie Fever is what I'd identify as a Euro Dance/Club song. I will give Alice the fact that it is sung with tongue firmly in-cheek, but that doesn't make it good! The lyrics are quite amusing I guess but I hate Dance music and this is no exception. Things take a turn for the better near the end when the guitars burst through but by that point Alice had lost me. The anthemic final minute is unfortunately upset by the previous two and a half minutes' charade. This is not the first time Alice has mocked a popular genre by recording a song in that style. Fans will recall No More Love at Your Convenience from 1977's Lace and Whiskey. That track has gone down as one of Alice's worst moments, this one will be alongside it. 3/10 and those points are only because the final third of the song is enjoyable.

There hasn't been much love for Ghouls Gone Wild so far but I think this track is a real winner. It's an awesome straight-up rock song which doesn't pretend to be anything else. The verses are so reminiscent of Summertime Blues that you could almost sing them alongside that song. It really sounds like it was left over from 2005's Dirty Diamonds; it is of the same balls-to-the-wall anthem style as Woman of Mass Distraction and Sunset Babies. It would have been a highlight on that album and its a highlight here too. 9/10.

The original Welcome to My Nightmare album brought us Only Women Bleed and that song was such a success that almost every Alice album since has carried the obligatory ballad. These are almost always a success; I Never Cry, You and Me, The Quiet Room, How You Gonna See Me Now, Pain, I Am the Future, Pass the Gun Around, Only My Heart Talkin', Might as Well Be on Mars, Take it Like a Woman, Every Woman Has a Name, Killed By Love, the list goes on. Fortunately, Something to Remember Me By is similarly sensational. It's a big cheesy seventies style ballad and Alice milks it for everything he has. The image Alice associates the ballad with is of his character singing to a zombie whose limbs are falling off, this isn't really conveyed lyrically. The chorus is absolutely massive, a notable highlight. 9/10.

When Hell Comes Home reunites Alice with the original Alice Cooper band for the first time on record since 1974's Muscle of Love. This is the Dead Babies of 2011 with its upfront themes of domestic abuse. It's so evil that it's a little unsettling to listen to. The dark grungy guitars are such a contrast to the previous track that they almost make my skin crawl. Effect achieved. The way Alice refers to the characters as 'Mummy' and 'Daddy' is especially effective as it makes him sound like a young, helpless child. Of course, he decides to do something about his torture and kills the Father. This is a chilling story song that demonstrates Alice still has the ability to shock. Unforgettable. 9/10.

Next up we have the most talked about song on the album by far. When Alice announced that Ke$ha would be singing alongside him on What Baby Wants, I, along with many fans, cried tears of blood. There was no way this could work! The big surprise is that it does, if you have an open mind. Alice is no stranger to employing bizarre guest stars (see Donovan on 1973's Billion Dollar Babies) and there are few in the business more controversial than Ke$ha. The fact that she plays the role of Satan is quite fitting I think and she does it especially well. Obviously, one has to accept the fact that Ke$ha's gimmick is her use of autotune, in the same way that Alice's is makeup and guillotines. I love the dialogue exchanged between the two and casting the devil as an 'attractive' female gives the song an unlikely sexy element. The lyrics are an absolute crack-up, it's the funniest Alice has been since Zipper Catches Skin! The song sounds very modern and has a commercial element but it does not let go of its rock foundations. It would be a great follow-up single and hopefully Ke$ha's fanbase embraces it because she does an awesome job here. 9/10.

I Gotta Get Outta Here is clearly the second best song on the album. Alice recounts the events of the previous tracks in a way that sheds new light on some of them. It's a great plot synopsis. I love the 'hotter than hell' reference. The big twist comes towards the end of the track when Alice and the listener learns that what we've thought was a nightmare is in fact the afterlife. Steven/Alice is dead and there is a great pause as he processes this information. Alice's responses to, "What part of dead don't you get?" are nothing short of hilarious and will remind fans of Give the Kid a Break from Alice Cooper Goes to Hell. In fact, I think they are even better than the responses on that track. The backup, "Yeah, yeah yeah," vocals are a nice nod to The Beach Boys. Lyrically, this is probably the best song on the album. Musically, it sees Alice in Tom Petty territory. It is very American sounding and I find that the way Alice constructs the story is quite Petty-esque. It is perfect and sends shivers down my spine. 10/10.

I think the finale The Underture would have perhaps worked better as the opener or as a hidden track. As an opener it would have given us a nice taste of the upcoming songs and we would have been able to identify the musical sections contained in this track when we heard the songs in full. I just think it suffers slightly from being straight after the mesmerizing I Gotta Get Outta Here. What is surprising is how well the new songs sit alongside the 1975 Nightmare songs. This is an Alice fans dream as we hear sections from almost all the Welcome to My Nightmare tracks. It's good fun and at the same time an epic track in itself. I especially like the instrumental sections from Something to Remember Me By and Ghouls Gone Wild. 9/10.

So there we have it. An exceptionally versatile release from Alice Cooper that does the Nightmare name justice. A 13/14 song success rate is certainly nothing to be ashamed of, especially when two of the tracks are as brilliant as Caffeine and I Gotta Get Outta Here.

Like Dirty Diamonds, the album does feel like it is trying to be a few too many things to too many people. The sum of its parts are probably greater than the album itself for this reason. Some purists are likely to take issue with the modern sounding songs, the effects used on Alice's voice during I Am Made of You and his duet with Ke$ha. Hopefully all of these things will mean more commercial attention for the album but it already has the huge advantage and burden of baring the Nightmare name.

It probably just falls short of being as consistently strong as Hey Stoopid but it is definitely Alice's best album since. It won't be universally loved but Alice's fans have really been rewarded with this one. 8.5/10.

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Re: W2MN .. REVIEWED

Post by Miller » Fri Sep 09, 2011 8:29 am

GailsFriend wrote:For anyone who has a negative view of the album, I am gonna follow the wisdom of While Heaven Wept, who said...

"The way i look at it is that these reviewers are almost totally clinically brain-dead and should do the world a favour and throw themselves off a high building."

This is what I say...."The album is brilliant. Period."
Totally agree here, people have been worried bout the album before they've even listened to it. As for those who have and don't exactly like it I think the different styles are too far removed from the first nightmare for them. There's no Cold Ethyl or Department of youth but does there have to be? I think we should send Alice and Bob a "please explain" message to clear this up.

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Re: W2MN .. REVIEWED

Post by justvictoria » Fri Sep 09, 2011 11:04 am

Yay received my Classic Rock pack today and like the album!
Some stuff is different to previous stuff but that makes it unique. Not to sure on Alice with Kei$ha or whatever her name is.
Loved the pack tho - with face paint included!

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