Review By Mark Granger
Release Date: 7 April 2014
Derby’s LostAlone sound like ready salted crisps. To elaborate, ready salted crisps are never anybody’s favourite. Yes, most people like them but they don’t inspire the passion of cheese and onion or a good packet of prawn cocktail. LostAlone are like that, they have riffs and hooks aplenty and there’s nothing particularly wrong with them they just don’t have the songs to inspire fans to follow them to the end of the earth. Which is a shame because their third album Shapes Of Screams opens with a track called ‘Crusaders’, a song that has all the ingredients there. A manic almost Sparks like vocal line, a singalong chorus and a giant rip your head off riff. So what’s the problem?
Well everything’s fine up until the last power chord of anthemic third track ‘Hostages’ dies out. At first it’s almost as if it was a false ending, maybe the track hadn’t finished? But no, it turns out it’s a new track called ‘Sombre Party’ and it has the exact same chorus melody. The exact same! Did nobody turn to them during the recording and say “Hey Guys, this is a bit, y’know, familiar…”? And what about the sequencing? Did nobody say, “If you must keep both songs, don’t stick them next to each other in the running order people will notice!” After this, the album deteriorates despite the chantalong and riffery of ‘Guilty’ trying it’s best to bring the album back on track.
The album does have its moments and LostAlone’s unashamed over-the-toppedness can’t help but raise a smile on all but the most miserable of faces. The outro of album closer ‘Breathing In The Future Exhaling The Past’ in particular brings in what sounds like a gospel choir and a gospel choir is never a bad thing.
So to reiterate LostAlone sound like ready salted crisps but more like a good branded pack not those shitty little supermarket value ones. And you’ll probably like them. Just not that much.
5 out of 10
Track Listing:
- Crusaders
- The Bells! The Bells!!
- Hostages
- Sombre Party
- Guilty
- Mental Health
- Apathy
- Scarlet Letter
- I Was Born To End This Way
- Requiem
- Doooooooooomageddon
- Breathing In The Future Exhaling The Past
I’m left wondering if this review is so bad because Mark knows people will be outraged and leave more comments. . .
This CD rocks.
I have just played this album and this reviewer has obviously lost his passion for music and should retire. seriously, if you cannot hear that this is some of the most awe inspiring, creative and passionate music ever written you’re in the wrong job! eat some crisps..
It’s repetitive, not awe-inspiring.
It’s generic, not creative.
It’s bland, not passionate.
And I love ready salted crisps.
Because they count as a 2 part song maybe?
The full title of tracks 3 and 4 are;
3. Hostages (Destiny)
4. Sombre Party (Legacy)
Both including a form of brackets, which by the power of common sense means they act as a dual/double/2-part track.
Why does this indicate that they are a two part song?
If they had the same title then had the Destiny and Legacy titles followed in brackets ‘that’ would indicate two part songs eg Pantera’s Suicide note. pt1 and 2
Metallica’s Unforgiven trilogy.
I am not surprised the reviewer didn’t see that the songs were a 2-part track.
I quite liked the track above, not enough to buy an album by them, that’s where you the loyal fans get behind them and tell the world how great they are, word of mouth social media etc, one review will not kill the band.
Good luck LostAlone hope you guys have a successful career
My bad about the two parter song, I wasn’t aware of that.
Mark, if you think the album is worth 5 out of 10, then whether you knew or not that there was a two-part song on it makes no difference whatsoever.
I completely disagree with this whole review. LostAlone are personally one of my favourite bands, and I have seen plenty of proof that many people would, and in some cases have, follow them to the end of the earth. LostAlone first came to my attention when they supported My Chemical Romance on their last UK tour. And let me tell you, the majority of opening acts I have seen opening for a band as big as MCR have been greeted with a less than warm reception, have been intimidated by the size of the crowd and have not given it their all. This was the polar opposite for LostAlone. Bearing in mind that the majority of the 10,000 odd people have never heard of LostAlone prior to them walking on stage, they manage to get people singing along within the first few songs, and, a massive feat especially for a 3 piece band, FILL the entire arena with their unique sound. Something, I might add, that even MCR struggled to do themselves. What this had lead up to say, however, is that LostAlone are one of the most fantastic, promising, amazing bands that I have ever had the pleasure to be a fan of, and yes, you are entitled to your own opinion and all that, but for you to call them ‘ready salted crisps’ is just plain insulting.
“LostAlone are personally one of my favourite bands”
So?
When you do finally get to the end of the earth, feel free to jump off.
And don’t you mean “in-salt-ing”?
From my review experience bands are usually quite receptive to negative reviews IF you back them up with deserved reasons as to why you think it’s justified ( the only exception to this rule are Black Veil Brides who are just plain shit).
Listening to the Lost Alone track above I really quite liked it, great heavy bass line and plenty of harmonies with a killer guitar towards the end. I remember seeing them play Lincoln Engine Shed many years ago and was impressed by their energy…Being a British (local) 3 piece I think they need all the support we can muster and this fairly negative review will do more good than a glowing positive one, it’ll certainly get people checking out the album….so job done I reckon !
if you’re gonna say an album has flaws, at least say what they are.
also I love ready salted crisps. however I don’t like bananas. this review reminds me of bananas.
hahahahhahaha
I question if you are listening to the same album that I did. What a s**t review.
What an informed response!
It’s good to know that your ears are the benchmark for all music.
This might just one of the most misguided and unprofessional album reviews I have read in a while.
I find it hard to believe that two songs sounding similar is the main reason for arriving at such a poor score. The very reason why Hostages (Destiny) and Sombre Party (Legacy) are similar is that they were intended to be so. The very fact that the songs have subtitles is evidence of this. Whilst the latter of these songs are melodically similar, they are so thematically and lyrically different that it works as a well-judged artistic counterbalance that plays off the first.
Aside from this criticism, the review fails to provide any notable reasons for concluding with such an out-of-touch score. The reviewer zealously argues that the album ‘deteriorates’, yet provides no explanations for this. If anything, the entire review looks like something written by someone who just happens to dislike the album and is unable to criticise it from an objective and analytical viewpoint.
Whilst the album does have its flaws, more should be said of its qualities than merely mentioning that it has ‘riffs and hooks aplenty’ and that it has ‘its moments’. Any rock lover would be hard pressed to find an album like this that contains such ambitious ideas, poignant lyrics and a diverse set of songs that takes inspiration not only from classic rock, but pop, rock opera and musical theatre.
Credit should be given to the reviewer for attempting to make an analogy, yet it falls flat when language such as ‘shitty little supermarket values ones’ are used, and when he fails to provide any substantial reasons for arguing that ‘most people like them, but they don’t inspire…passion’. If an analogy is to be made, Shapes of Screams is nothing like a packet of crisps. It is the sort of 12 course melodic banquet of an album that Heston Blumenthal would conjure up if he were a blue haired rock star. It is over-the-top, bombastic, and most importantly, hugely creative and original.
The harsh reality is that this album is nothing short of a breath of fresh air in the rock scene, and LostAlone have done more than enough to inspire a passionate (albeit small) set of followers. If you have an affinity for originality, catchy riffs and good old fashioned head banging and foot tapping music, you owe it to yourself to listen to this album.
If Heston Blumenthal makes music, we’re all done for.
“harsh reality”? Bit OTT methinks.
This is music we’re discussing, right?
It is funny that you are so dismissive of Mr Blumenthal because his iconic ‘Fat Duck’ restaurant has recently been named the 3rd best in the world, and his ‘Dinner’ restaurant is also in the top 25. It follows that making an analogy to him is a perfectly acceptable way of illuminating the positives of this great album.
I also do not believe that criticising another person’s use of possibly superfluous (and artistic) language is an effective way of casting doubt on another opinion or argument.
I would also appreciate it if you could post under a different name so that my solid arguments are not to be confused with your very much subjective knee-jerk reactions.
My, aren’t you the cultured one?
I’m sure that if “Mr Blumenthal” were to make music, it would be as sanitised as the Waitrose adverts he makes.
Congratulations on your distinct ability to pluck such elevated analogies out of the air. I prostrate myself at the feet of the world’s greatest wordsmith.
“Subjective knee-jerk reactions”? And I suppose your response is well-studied and well-supported, and therefore as rigorous as academic study or perhaps even quantum physics, is it? Get over yourself. It’s a fucking album.
And no, I will not post under another name because Vincent happens to be my name. Heaven forbid forbid that your “solid argument” should be mistaken for the words of someone you seem to think is of inferior stock. Just because you got here first, doesn’t mean you own the name.
That you’ve taken such umbrage at someone challenging your opinion is quite amusing. Thank you “Vincent”.
Seriously??? What album did you listen to?
I WOULD follow them to the end of the world and back.
They inspire lots of passion. 10/10
I disagree with your review. Their songs are lyrically quite empowering and have the structure to get anyone hooked or even at least intrigued on their sound.
I’ll admit, LostAlone on a CD don’t quite do them justice as opposed to live. Saying “they just don’t have the songs to inspire fans to follow them to the end of the earth” is a little bit negatively ambitious. They have fans who literally travel across the world to see them on tour here in the UK, and that’s the least they have done.
And might I add, how does a band sound like crisps? You must really know your ready salted from your cheese and onion! Or be craving a packet of LostAlone and vinegar.
Same tracks? Very doubtful!
Because they count as a 2 part song maybe?
The full title of tracks 3 and 4 are;
3. Hostages (Destiny)
4. Sombre Party (Legacy)
Both including a form of brackets, which by the power of common sense means they act as a dual/double/2-part track.
Also I thoroughly enjoy ready salted crisps
As much as everyone is entitled to their opinions, this is one of the greatest albums I’ve ever heard. Watching promo videos they released alongside the album, Hostages and Sombre Party come as a pair hense the similarity. I love the album and they are definitely my favourite!
Ready salted crisps are my favourites.
And so are LostAlone.
Oh.
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