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Review |
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Hello Rockview has always been my favourite Less
than Jake album as it was songs such as ‘All
My Best Friends Are Metalheads’ and ‘Al’s
War’ which really got me into the band and
soon saw me buying the ‘Hello Rockview’
‘Losing Streak’ double pack album, so
you could imagine mine and most Less Than Jake fans
excitement when they announced that they were going
to re-release ‘Hello Rockview and ‘Losing
Streak’ on the 1st March 2011 which new packaging
and a bonus DVD.
If is safe to say that most Less than Jake fans
will agree that ‘Hello Rockview’ is
the best album that the band have ever released
as there is no dull moments on the album at all,
the album opens with a short radio message about
burning the city to the ground and then seconds
later Rogers vocals come in taking you on a mad
melodic journey through out ‘Last ~One Out
Of Liberty City’ which is then followed
up by the amazing ‘Help Save The Youth Of
America From Exloding’ and then the legendary
single ‘All My Best Friends Are Metalheads
and the routine of one great song being played
after another runs right through until the end
of the album with fan favourites ‘Scott
Farcass Takes It On The Chin’ and ‘Al’s
War’ closing the album.
The same with ‘Losing Streak’ musically
the album is exactly the same but this time around
the artwork has had a nice reworking with everything
before big and bright with a fold out poster included
of the front cover with the lyrics being printed
on the opposite side of the poster which I think
is quite nifty and a good idea but some of the
bands hardcore fans might be disappointed that
the ‘Hello Rockview’ lyrics comic
book has gone and been replaced with this but
then again if you already own the album with the
lyrics comic book surly you would be happy with
a slight change on the re-release? Well only time
will tell.
The bonus DVD included on the album features
Less Than Jake playing ‘Hello Rockview’
live in its entirety at the State Theatre in Florida
back in February 2007 and as soon as the band
hit the stage Chris makes a joke saying “Who
the hell do we think we are Guns N Roses making
you wait three hours out there for us” before
blasting straight into ‘Last One Out Of
Liberty City’ and from that moment each
and every song is played with a bit of on stage
band to crowd banter right until the closing moments
of ‘Al’ War’, the actual video
footage is quite amateur looking with the camera
shaking all over the place and changing from colour
to black in white at random moments but all in
all it captures Less Than Jake playing my personally
favourite album in its entirety at their energetic
best whilst their fans also drain their energy
away whilst jumping, dancing, skanking and crowd
surfing along.
Overall just like ‘Losing Streak’
the ‘Hello Rockview’ re-release is
a must buy for all hardcore Less than Jake fans
or anyone that still doesn’t own the classic
album and I do feel that the repacked artwork
and added DVD is enough to warrant buying the
re-release even if you do own the original but
just expect any additional audio footage or remastered
sounds as the album sounds exactly the same as
it did when first released back in 1998.
I also feel that Less than Jake re-releasing
‘Hello Rockview’ and ‘Losing
Streak’ are their ways of telling their
fans that they will be back over in the UK sometime
during 2011 to play the album’s in their
entirety to coincide with the re-release, only
time will tell on this one.
4/5
Review by Trigger |
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| Band
Members |
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Chris Demakes
Roger Manganelli
Vinnie Fiorello
Buddy Schaub
Peter "JR" Wasilewski |
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| Track
Listing |
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1. Last One Out Of Liberty City
2. Help Save The Youth Of America from Exploding
3. All My Best Friends Are Metalheads
4. Five State Drive
5. Nervous In The Alley
6. Motto
7. History Of A Boring Town
8. Great American Sharpshooter
9. Danny Says
10. Big Crash
11. Theme Song For H Street
12. Richard Allen George... No, It's Just Cheez
13. Scott Farcas Takes It On The Chin
14. Al's War |
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| Band
Related Links |
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| Review
Score Code |
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- Top Cheese
- Brilliant
- Pretty damn good
- Ok I guess
-
What Was That? |
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