Second album is NOT second best!! (A Beautiful Lie - 30 Seconds to Mars)

Member Name: herbie__53

Product:	A Beautiful Lie - 30 Seconds to Mars
Date:	03/04/09 (42 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Every track! They are all brilliant! and Jared's amazing vocals.

Disadvantages: It puts the first album to shame.

30 Seconds to Mars are an American three piece rock band, consisting of the actor Jared Leto on lead vocals, his brother Shannon Leto on drums and Tomo Milicevic on bass. Their first album passed by relatively unknown, but just recently they made their breakthrough with the song "The Kill" from this album. I think this is a fantastic album, its one of my firm favourites, and here's my track by track opinion...

1. Attack - 3:09 This one starts out with a funky electronic beat, and it soon progresses into an energetic thumper of a track with a fantastic tune and amazing vocals. I run to this song on my treadmill, that's the sort of song it is - really rhythmic. The vocals are carried off perfectly over the pumping drum beat and the electronic beat from the start that seems to have wormed its way back into the song. Leto truly has a talent for singing, I think his vocals are what completes this song perfectly.

2. A Beautiful Lie - 4:05 The title track off the album, and one of the singles that were released. Starts out with a rocking guitar riff, before we are lunged forward into Jared's smooth lyrics. A funky bass line pushes the song along, through the mellow lyrics of the verses to the more energetic chorus. Catchy tunes throughout, a chorus that begs you to croon along to it. A fantastic song, performed excellently.

3. The Kill (Bury Me) - 3:51 This is perhaps the most well known song off the album, it was their breakthrough single. And for good reason! A very catchy and bouncy tune in waltz style (that's three beats in a bar for anyone who is interested) with excellent vocals, and very well performed accompanying instruments. I particularly like the energy Jared puts into the bridge, especially when he sings "THIS IS WHO I REALLY AM!!". You should definitely look this video up, as its really good, and shows Jared when he was still in the process of losing weight - compare him in this video to one of their later videos (or pictures of him now) and you'll see the difference! This song has great sing-a-long-a-bility!! Brilliant. If you only listen to one track of theirs, make it this one.

4. Was It a Dream? - 4:15 This one begins a bit eerily - I guess this is done deliberately to coincide with the title. You get the image of floating around in a dream world, looking at everything through blurred glass..... Anyway Jared's vocals start out smooth and rich, raising his voice a little for the chorus but it's still mellow compared to other songs on this album. I do think that this is a good song but I think the band's talent shines more on the heavier songs that they have done.

5. The Fantasy - 4:29 A more mellow track from the guys, with a different style of vocals from Jared - very fast, sort of a cross between singing and rap. We return to his usual style for the chorus however. I have seen them play this live, and the bit in the middle with the "Oh-Whoh-Oh-Oh" is fantastic when the crowd sings along!

6. Savior - 3:24 Starts out with some conversation... and then very shortly bursts into energy with guitar, drums and vocals all starting at once. A very catchy tune to the verse, not too repetitive, but it's the chorus that really stands out - fabulous vocals that you just have to sing along to. Jared's energy for his songs is contagious, you feel like you just want to burst into song (well I do anyway!) One of the best songs on the album, I'm disappointed that this wasn't a single as I think it would have done very well.

7. From Yesterday - 4:08 Another one of the singles released, if you haven't seen the video for this then you really must check it out because its visually stunning. The verses are quite reserved, with mellow, low pitch vocals, before they explode into the chorus which is sung brilliantly. This is an amazing song, the vocals and music gel together perfectly.

8. The Story - 3:55 This is more of an acoustic ballad, though it does have a drum beat. Its more relaxed than the other tracks on the album, with smooth vocals that show the band can slow it down and still produce great results. A great guitar rhythm on this, with minimal drums.

9. R-Evolve - 3:59 Here follows what is (at first) another mellow one, a simple guitar accompaniment with slow vocals over the top which make you want to close your eyes and drift off to sleep. The chorus, as with many other tracks on this album, is much more powerful than the verses. It seems as if Jared has so much energy to put into each performance and there has to be a section in each song where he can really go for it to his heart's content. Another good track.

10. A Modern Myth - 14:14 (ends at 2:59, hidden track "Praying for a Riot" begins at 12:25) A Modern Myth is a sombre ballad at the start - quiet, low vocals over a guitar accompaniment. A mellow guitar and strings instruments intercepts the singing before the second verse.... This is one to relax you to the point of sleep! As the song progresses towards the end, the vocals get more powerful... to the point where Jared is screaming at the top of his lungs for the last "goodbye"... and then we fade out to silence for a few minutes to wait for the hidden track... which starts with a funky drum rhythm and very wispy vocals. This track is only just over a minute long, so its more of an "interlude" really. The vocals are actually quite restrained on this piece, I guess that's in preparation for the next track...

11. Battle of One - 2:47 This is another fantastically energetic track, another one I listen two whilst running. It has a brilliant bass rhythm that really drives the song along, and Jared's vocals totally bring the song alive. He puts such energy into his vocals, and despite his occasional screaming in the song it never sounds like he is straining. Its like it comes naturally to him - that's the way he was born to sing. A great drum beat also. Fantastic.

12. Hunter - 3:54 This one is a Bjork cover, and in true tradition of any Bjork song - it's weird. It starts with a very strange hypnotic beat to it, then Jared's vocals start. You get the feeling that you want to speed the vocals up a bit - they feel just a little bit too slow, almost as if they drag over the accompaniment. This I must say is my least favourite song off the album, but I guess we will let them off as they didn't actually write the song! I have never heard the original (and don't have any desire to hear it) so I can't compare, but I don't like this version. There's nothing wrong with the way its performed - The vocals are great but it's just not my sort of thing.


I bought this album on the basis of The Kill, and I wasn't disappointed. In fact - I was blown away by the quality of the songs on the album, and the talent of Jared Leto. I can't think of a single other actor that has the amazing vocal quality of Jared, to be honest I think he has an outstanding voice which is better than a lot of singers out there - its just fluke that he happens to be a brilliant actor as well.

After being so impressed with this album I went out and bought their first album - but was very disappointed. If you are looking to get into 30 Seconds To Mars, buy this album!

They have a new album due out later in 2009. I eagerly await!!

Summary: Listen - you'll love it.