The internet. What is it good for? Absolutely loads if you count the number of new artists you've discoered thanks to the likes of MySpace, iTunes and of course these very pages here.
Sadly, the Add A Friend, Get A Record Deal culture seems to be reaching ridiculous levels, as so many bands are being signed solely on the basis of how many buddies they've accumulated - by hook but mostly by crook - through Tom's Site.
Seeing Scarlet have used the internet to great effect: it seems to have got them several high-profile shows, more buddies than your average indie band would ever sell records to, and the opportunity to release this, the first half of their debut album, as a download-only release.
"Genuinely anticipated!" screams the press release. By whom we're not sure, as at best Mental Notes (Part One) sounds like Robbie Williams fronting a Feeder covers band, and at worst, well... could it get much worse than that?
To be fair, there are a couple of moments on here where they do show some potential if they were to make that move away from the lonely path marked 'Distinctly Indie Ghetto'. Opener 'Good Advice' is all loud guitars coupled with angry vocals that evoke memories of Sheffield's most forgotten, The Longpigs, while closer 'Dead' is an ambitious, post-rock-in-a-Radio-2-vein slow burner that Mew may make by the time they reach album number six.
The rest, though, is merely indie-by-numbers; a post-Britpop stroll through future AOR territory that only your parents and occasionally theirs dare to tread.
Let's hope Mental Notes (Part Two) is an improvement, but until they grow some bollocks and stop listening to chart-lite fodder one fears the worst may still be to come.
Probably
the worse review I've ever read. Give up.
...
living up (down?) to your nom de plume...
What??
Ironic, isn't it, that bloggers and reviewers don't realise that the same forces allowing bands to come through independently are also providing shite reviewers with the opportunity to pretend they are journalists via lazy ill-informed crap like the above 'review'.
Have you even seen this band play? I can't think of anything further removed from the bands cited above - these reviewers should get out more. Seeing Scarlet have been consistently great every time I have seen them in the past year. Granted, this is an album review so you're judging them on the CD alone - but I've had a copy for a while and have to say there are few new bands out there writing pop songs this good.
ooh err
I must admit I thought they were good from the first single but I went with my mate on Tuesday and they do rock out live and are loads of energy I thought they were great.
I think the review isnt all that bad. It seems to say that the internet is good but Seeing Scarlet are bad because they are pro active on it and that they sound so indie that they are like one of Britain's biggest solo pop stars fronting a copy of one of it's biggest rock bands.
If its one of the worst albums he's heard all year then the rest must have been amazing world class timeless classics because Mental Notes keeps growing on me and I can't wait for number two.
Dom is entitled to his opinion. Mine though is that Seeing Scarlet are exciting. They might not have many fans yet, but the ones they have must come from people that make up their own minds up at gigs, or have listened on the net, so theres a lot of hope for them yet.
sack the review you are soooo wrong!!
Indie-by-numbers i like it sounds like a good lyric, however I dispute your review entirely!! The album is just the beginning of something huge!! slow burning it is not! The energy this album gives off is set like a chain reaction once lit inside it will accellerates exponentially until spontaneous combustion occurs! I love this album and I cant wait until the next one is out from what I hear it is the "antidote" of all things dark about part one which means more energy, more excitement and more piles of ash all over the uk becuase no one can handle the finger tingling, mind buzzing, spine chilling music that these great song writers can create!!
Seeing Scarlet are true artists and they are the best new band there has been in years - no more washed out dull shit that so many labels seem to find acceptible, Seeing Scarlet are the Bumblebee's knees!!
oh and ps, you may need to check your spellchecker, seems to me some journalism-by-numbers has been occuring too.....
For a start
let's get one thing straight.
My review is based entirely on what I've heard on this CD.
No McCready, I've never seen the band play. And if I had it doesn't really hold any relevance to the review of this album.
Seeing Scarlet may well be true artists Bloofish but on this evidence they are most definitely not the best new band there has been in years.
Oh, and Hector, it may well be the worst review you've ever read but unfortunately, this is one of the worst albums I've heard this year.
Dom G.
Still
I think you need your ears washed out mate...if you want to hear a bad new release I suggest you get your hands on the new Bloc Party album.
oh they soare
oooohhhh dom, I think I just saw your dummy fly past my screen....would you like me to post you a new one???
Apologies if you feel threatened by such a revolt on your review, its ok to be proud and stand up for your own opinions I like that even if you are wrong.......
Hey
you're allowed an opinion Bloofish same as me but if you honestly believe this lot are the best new band you've heard in years, then you really need to get out more and listen to a wider range of new music.
no worries
oh the utopian believe that every opinion is right and all will be well bless you!! doesn't really work like that though does it...
Good idea though, maybe i'll take you up on your offer, where are you taking me? but not tonight though im off to see Stuntface in wrexham...
Have
a good night!
;)
you too heh heh!!
:)
Do what?
Wahey, Seeing Scarlet!
Hardly anybody can have heard of Seeing Scarlet/be Seeing Scarlet fans yet, but I (personally) dig what they do and how they do it.
Really like the songs on Mental Notes - pop tunes with teeth.
It's great to know there are other fans around the country anyway, so that's a good thing to come out of this review.
I'm looking forward to seeing Seeing Scarlet live again, they're addictive and reviews, bad or good, couldnt convince me otherwise.
Roll on Mental Notes Part Two!
This review is good enough
to convince me never to try to listen to this band...
If I wasn't already convinced by other things ( including good reviews ) I've read about them.
And that cover is simply awful...
I respectfully disagree.
Firstly a genuine question: how exactly did Seeing Scarlet use the internet to get high-profile shows and what did they do that was different from any other band?
Surely a growing good reputation helped them to have the opportunity to release the album?
Maybe my parents would like this album, but why is that a bad thing? Not everyone is trying to be the next trend.
What annoys me most about this review are the "Robbie Williams fronting Feeder" and "indie-by-numbers" comments because:
a) Charlie Beall has a much better and more interesting voice than Robbie Williams (and has more stage presence without having to resort to constantly playing a stereotype, but this review is just about the album I know).
b) Seeing Scarlet are lyrically intelligent, not 'safe' and definately not "lite".
c) Whilst they have a very Indie sound, the combination of their older and more recent influences with their own style produces, in my opinion, some very interesting melodies. I don't see how they could be accused of sounding like every other band that the NME heralds as 'the next...'.
What I'd like to know is when are reviewers going to "grow some bollocks" and admit that just because music is potentially chart material it isn't necesarily bad?
From someone who hadn't heard of them before the 6th
after hearing them on the radio, you seem to know alot about them and there history less than 10 days later Ceniz.
Do you also smell something slightly funny?
i agree to the internet bit
i saw them live first, in the summer at a festval in Wales and got blown away by them, they were excellent live and i have been a fan ever since, im so glad they have released an album so i can listen to them all the time!! i think you'll find a lot of genuine fans found them live first becuase they are soo good!
(i know not anything to do with the album review but it is still relavent!!)
that was i agree with ceniz
not dom (sorry dom)