even tho you can't often tell what they're saying, you know it's right (Relationship Of Command - At The Drive-In)

Member Name: fragileshapes

Product:	Relationship Of Command - At The Drive-In
Date:	15/03/01 (52 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: not a bad song

Disadvantages: takes a couple of listens to get the feel of it

This has to be one of the best if not the best album of 2000. Even though the music is mainly guitar based and the vocals are often shouted rather than sung, it isn't anything like what you would expect from the year that bought us albums from such 'alternative bands' like Limp Bizkit, Deftones and Papa Roach. Here the songs actually have unique meanings instead of just the usual, 'everyone hates me and i want to die' lyrics which have been very prevelant recently with the influx of 'skate rock' or whatever its called.

Emotion and power are the two key elements of this album, the emotion comes from the often deeply heartfelt lyrics and the power is how these songs are delivered. Most tracks have quite a political feel to them, but don't be put off, at the drive in actually have good cause to sing about political injustice, unlike certain bands, for example the manic street preachers who only seem to write about second hand experiences.

Standout tracks here, are 'Arcarsenal' for the apocolyptic opening and the cannibalistic ending: 'have you ever tasted skin, sink you're teeth in', the single, 'one armed scissor' again very shouty but actually a desperate love song: 'cos i'm a million miles away, will you get this letter, jagged pulp sliced through my veins, I write to remember' and the wonderful 'roladex propaganda', see even Iggy Pop thinks they're good and I doubt he's every been wrong!

This album is one that should be in everybody's cd collection. True, it isnt the best thing to listen to in the bath or if you're having a romantic dinner for two, if you want that go buy a Coldplay cd. Here the raw emotion propelled through your speakers by Cedric's blistering vocals will make you never want to bathe or eat again, all you'll ever want to do from now on is join a band and try and recreate what's going on in this album, good
luck.

Summary: