Lift
A rather odd first five seconds precedes a wonderful guitar riff which lives up to the title name. It lifts you up immediately, and it's one of those songs that you quickly pick up and quickly fall in love with. The vocals are great here. It also has the emotive/imaginative aspect that is a plus-point for me, but even if you don't take that into consideration, this is a very catchy song, and one you won't mind getting in your head. This is one of the songs I'd love to drive down a motorway to.
Overboard
Another bright and airy song, although most of the album are bright and airy. Though unlike Lift, this isn't one you could drive to. The verse delivery is a bit ropey, but the chorus is well done, and the guitar work around the chorus is something else. A fairly standard drum run keeps the beat flowing all the same.
Late Goodbye
PotF made this song for the game Max Payne 2, and it's quite easy to see why. I'm not normally one to pay a massive amount of attention to the words of lyrics, but this track stands out because the music fits the words perfectly, and the acoustic guitar really makes the song shine. Hear this song, and understand immediately why I could mistake them for American. The lyricist shows true talent here.
Don't Mess With Me
A definitely energetic and pumping rhythm and track, but not one you're likely to remember. There are definitely better songs on the album, both in terms of music and also lyric delivery. He pulls of the lament nicely enough in the verse, and the chorus lyrics are alright, but it's a forgettable song. Not bad, but not great. Certainly not a patch on the last three.
3 AM
An inspiring introductory 30seconds leads nicely into a calm and lucid rhythm and song. Relaxing and easy to go on, but fairly ordinary overall. That doesn't make it bad, it just doesn't do anything that the rest of the album doesn't do as well if not better. Fills the album up well, though, I'll give it that much.
Stay
A quiet and easygoing song to begin with, but with a great-sounding kick-in about 30seconds in. The jingle keeps you entertained, as do the nicely-delivered lyrics. Not one you'll remember, but it's still something nice to hear, and one that gets your foot tapping. One feature of note through the whole album is the nice guitar work. Consistently good, and consistently effective.
Seek You Out
Feeling a bit like Red Hot Chili Pepper in terms of intro, Seek You Out is a nice and effective song through and through. Once more a lucid rhythm lulls you into the song, and the chorus is a definite head-nodder. Perhaps the fourth 'song while you're driving' from the album. And we all love a good song to drive to, don't we?
Shallow
Now here's a driving song if ever there was one. From five seconds in, you'll immediately see why. Wonderful bassline and drum work, and the gutturally-delivered lyrics just seem meld with them as one, and work harmonically with it. Wait till you get to the chorus. There's certainly nothing shallow about the talent here. If you crank this baby up to full blast, you're in for a treat. It never gets overbearing or heavy, and the chorus just gets better every time you hear it. In fact, the whole song does.
Everything Fades
This is yet another of PotF's catchy ones. The soft and rather unspectacular first few lines of each verse slowly build up as the verse goes on, but it isn't the verse which matters here. It's all about chorus, and these guys know it. Nobody could ever care that the lyrics and music of the verse is almost nonexistent, the chorus is all that matters here. The fact that the verse is so insignificant only serves to emphasise just how great the chorus is. I'd better move onto the next song to stop myself worshipping this chorus forever.
Someone Special
Not a song I really cared for so much. It's nice and soothing to listen to, with well-delivered lyrics, but it's not as special as the someone in the title. Isn't really a lot I can say about it.
Illusion & Dream
Get this one in your car too. Now. It almost tries to follow Everything Fades' chorus ownage score, but it goes one better and has a nice verse too. The sub-chorus really builds you in nicely for the chorus, which once more blows you away. After hearing Everything Fades and Someone Special, I figured there wasn't a lot of chance of it getting better than Everything Fades...but I was wrong. Non-fans of the genre should even give this one a run. It's impossible not to be uplifted by the music, which is true of most songs on the album, but this one just epitomises the fact, and hammers it home. If it's on, I find it's like 'The Reason' by Hoobastank - I absolutely must NOT touch the Mp3 player or Winamp until the song has finished (If The Reason's on in a shop, I will remain in the shop until the song's finished)
Sleep
Ending on a low note, sadly. Sleep isn't all that great. Sounds nice and mournful, with emotive use of the piano, but you'll quickly press the 'Next Track' button to get back to Lift. Pretty similar opinion to it as I have for Someone Special.
This is an album you're gonna want for your car. It just screams 'Music to drive to'. But it also screams of class, wonderfully-delivered lyrics and peaceful or uplifting music. It's contrary to my usual style, but this isn't a face of someone who's bothered about styles; this is one who's bothered about nice music, and that's what Poets of the Fall provide. They deserve more recognition than they have. Chili Peppers, Hoobastank and Rob D fans will love it, fans of all three will adore it, and even non-fans can't help but appreciate it.
Edited by Paradox, 20 April 2006 - 05:11 PM.
