The State of Things: Parental Advisory

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Customer reviews

review by: Stmcb date: 2008-09-08 rating:
Saying it like it is....
There has always been a select group of bands who attempt to make rock music you can dance to. Some might say The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays kicked it all off back in the 80's. Then you've got bands like The Music, Franz Ferdinand and more recently the Klaxons setting the standard nowadays. A new band that has emerged on to the scene in the last year that is doing the same sort of thing is Reverend and the Makers. Yes they still have the thumbing bass lines to fill the dance floors across the country. But as their debut album `State of things' shows, they also have the ingredients to make themselves standout. Most notably, along with the usual singer, guitarist, bassist and drummer; they have 2 keyboardists to add some more grooves and depth to their music.

First track `The state of things' sets the scene not only for the album but acts as a great introduction and insight into the whole bands ethos. It is clear from the outset lead singer John McClure is not shy about giving his opinion with lyrics like `While some sore heads will rue last night's endeavours, Make Sunday's vow that they won't get so leathered' from first track `State of things'. He says it as he sees it and meanwhile the five other members create a great tune to go along with it.

Hit single `Heavyweight Champion of the World' has become an indie classic. Telling the story of a guy who had great ambitions growing up but never fulfilled as reality hits. This is just one example of how McClure writes about topics a lot of people can relate to, but I could say the same for every song that he writes about topics a lot of people can relate to. I find it quite appropriate that the lead singer is shares a flat with the Alex Turner, the lead singer of Arctic Monkeys; because in my opinion these are the best 2, lyricists in the UK right now. Moreover McClure doesn't just write lyrics, but he delivers them with the conviction and passion which shows that he really does mean every word he says. He may not have the best voice in the world, but it fits the style of music which at the end of the day is the most important thing. A great song and one of these ones which will be a mainstay on their set list, probably for the rest of their career.

The only real gripe I have with this album is that the last 2 tracks; `Miss Brown' and `Armchair detective' sound like the same song, just with different lyrics. It's almost as if they wrote `Miss Brown' first then thought, hang on a minute, we can make an even better song with these lyrics. Although the backing tune sounds the same, the position of the vocals within the songs are different and ultimately make `Armchair detective' sound amazing and `Miss Brown' sound distinctly average.

Overall though this really is a cracking debut which although I don't rate quite as highly as The Music's and The Stone Roses debut efforts. It is still well and truly worth a purchase, especially if you are into the whole rock/dance scene or as I like to call it Ronce or Dack. Although if it was down to lyrics, this album wipes the floor with any band I have mentioned in this review, bar Arctic Monkeys.

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review by: nickya28 date: 2008-07-16 rating:
rev and the makers
most original and best album i've heard in years, provocative, thought provoking and real life. always makes me smile.

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review by: date: 2008-01-21 rating:
Not quite loving it but getting there
Without making any comparison to the Artic monkeys or any other bands and just listening to this album as what it is its pretty good. The songs that are good on it are really good and the rest just fail below the mark.It starts of great with fast beats and memorable hard tunes for the first five songs then it seriousily lulls till track 8 He said he loved me- (a chavs anthemn to unrequeinted love ). Heavyweight champion is the outstanding song and the other first 5 songs are in a similar vein.However the rest seriousily lull and this is where the album falls down- however in honesty its a failing of many albums nowadays.
There are no great suprises on this album and all the released track songs are the best ones on the albm the others are indeed forgetable. However if you like these tracks its worth buying this as you know what you are getting- and I personally love Open your window, Heavyweight champion and state of things as they beat a lot of songs out there for orginalioty and cunning beats.
Hopefully there next album will be stronger and they will start to expand more as they are in danger of just replicating the same great song over and over again. In my eyes the reverend has some great songs and talent hopefully his next album will show more diversity and more consistancy. Saying that I do love this for what good songs it has on it but just feel they have sold themselves a bit short.

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review by: Chris date: 2008-01-13 rating:
Pleasant surprise
I bought this cd after hearing "heavyweight champion of the world" while shopping in HMV, never heard of them before and not really my type of music either. After listening to it a few times i am pleasantly surprised!! The first 3 tracks are really great but then it seems to go down hill a bit but they are all great tracks. Reminds me of Preston from the ordinary boys but better!! Well can't be worse can it?? I've got heavyweight champ as my ringtone now which has people asking" who's that mate" when my phone rings in pubs etc so I'm spreading the word folks.


review by: Fickers date: 2007-12-05 rating:
Please let me off this conveyer..........
I was really looking forward to this album, there was the Arctic Monkeys links, the hype, the bravado etc and god was I disappointed. It starts well enough with The State of Things, The Machine and then the storming single Heavyweight Champion....but it all goes a bit wrong from there. Samey tunes, more lyrics about going out, getting girls, having an argument with 'yer bird' in fact everything thats been done a hundred times already by every new band to surface in the past 12 months. The Reverend himself doesn't have the same knack at a lyric as Alex Turner does no matter how hard he tries, and god does he try. I apologise for making any sort of comparison with the A.M. but its difficult not to when Alex Turner is actually on the album and when the Reverend himself tries to write in a similar way. In fact 'Sex with your ex' is the Monkeys 'Despair in the departure lounge' but nowhere near as good. Serously there are some awful schoolyard lyrics/tunes on here it actually gets quite embarrassing.
A fine example of someone making it big purely on the quality of his mates......anyone wanna buy 2 tickets ?

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