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I'll keep the repitition short. It's a great album. If like John Mayer, you'll love Matthew Good. Nothing against Mayer, but I don't understand how Mayer can get so much more airtime and publicity.
This album has depth, range and soul. The last time I heard a male singer/songwriter of this caliber was Billy Joel.
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I'm so happy that others agree with me on this album. I purchased it, I think the day it was released, nearly 2 years ago and it is still consistently my favorite cd. Sure I purchase a new one every now and then but this cd always finds its way back into my stereo for a few days stint at a time in order to get my emotional fix from powerful music.
The lyrical content might be confusing to some, including myself, but the vocals and the music in this will blow most people away. I love how Matt Good has moved from more traditional rock to experiment with some other musical mediums on this album and the marriage of the two types of music and his voice still moves me after hearing the album hundreds of times since I bought it. From start to end, it's damn good listening.
My favorites are "While We Were Hunting Rabbits", and "Nearing Fantastica"... they build up and get you rolling!
I hope he can match this album in the future but I can't see how. He never lets me down per say but his newer album doesn't compare to Avalanche in my opinion, but mostly because it's simply a different style and I prefer the more complex music of Avalanche.
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If perfection was something that was truly attainable and not merely subjective, "Avalanche" would the the Webster's defintion.
This is a man who's just rediscovered creative control and, like a kid at Christmas, can't wait to use it. Matt experiments with whatever pops into his head and the result is a surprisingly cohesive album. The album can be defined in general as a rebellion album, where Matt rebels against politics, the music industry, the current state of society... you name it. He's still pissed off but he's not trying to cram his thoughts down your throat. He's explaining in great detail the reasons why you should be pissed off too.
The album can be listened to from start to finish without a moment you'll regret. And there are some definite standout songs. "Pledge Of Allegiance" is a great opener and creates a soundscape with a delayed guitar that's very visual. You lose yourself in this song. "Weapon", the first single, is still an amazing song with a great combination of acoustic guitar and crunching electric guitar. "A Long Way Down" is an upbeat ballad with a beautiful chorus, "House Of Smoke And Mirrors" is an amazing closer with some impressive piano work, and "Double Life" is the most upbeat song of the bunch with two infectious guitar solos.
But wait, there's more. In fact the best two songs on this album are polar opposites. "While We Were Hunting Rabbits" is a powerful lament about the state of the music industry and has the type of ending that makes you say "That should be at the end of a movie!"
The other song, which somehow manages to top the previous, is "Near Fantastica". This song is a driving rock song with an incredibly loud chorus which will surprise you considering how toned down the rest of the album is. It has a rhythem guitar effect throughout the whole song which is really hard to describe but I guarantee it will have you coming back again and again.
So, to sum this album up?
"It's been alright."
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Brilliant. Different. Beautiful. Some more Brilliant. That's what comes to mind when I think of Avalanche. I once read in a fan's review that Matthew Good is a lyrical genius, and I couldn't agree more. His lyrics take some time to figure out, but they're completely worth it. Matt has some strong opinions and he's not afraid to speak his mind. See 21st Century Living, for example, where you get two lovely angry rants about supersizing, ambition, and society in general. Or Pledge of Allegiance, where he's good old and cynical.
Something completely different is the love song Song for the Girl, where Matt shows his (gasp!) happy side! He has obviously traded in the angry and nervously energetic Matthew Good Band rocksongs like Everything is Automatic and Load me up for more melodic and calm songs, that still make you think. Lots of strings, piano and acoustic guitar, and Matt's best vocals to date.
Best track on the album is the bombastic but spinechilling Weapon. With a hook like you've never heard one and soaring vocals, you'll have this one on repeat for quite some time.
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I have always been a fan of the Matt good Bands work, and I didn't pay much attention to his solo release, I loved the song weapon, but I never picked up the album....so maybe a year after its realeased after getting minimal attention here in Canada I decided to buy it and give it a listen.....Wow....I was stuck in my seat listening for 3 days....this is Matt Goods best work done yet....truly outstanding...what a CD, from top to bottom its stellar, and it has some tracks that will just blow you away.....
Bright End of Nowhere, Pledge of Allegience, House of Smoke and Mirrors, Lullaby for the New World, Avalanche, Song for the Girl not to mention his video released songs Weapon and In World Called Catastrophe...all killer tracks, my personal favourite, and one of the best songs I've ever heard is While we were hunting Rabbits.....what a song....its so powerful towards the end you can't even move....all I can say is buy this CD!!
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