Play 90 second soundbite of 'Midnight Oil' @ 'CD quality'
What this album lacks in production finesse it more or less makes up for in flat-out ballsy energy. These guys growl and grunt their rock through a wall of electric noise powered by a frantic but somehow enjoyable collision of guitars and keys; at times it's manic, at times it's mayhem, at times it's a total mind-fuck of clashing dynamics and compositional angularity. But, without doubt it's always in-yer-face and blisteringly rebellious. The Screamin Eagles can tend to sound a little loose, raw even. But, some of that's from the 'live' recording that probably offers the listener something as near to the truth as it gets. It's not the best overall sound I've ever heard on a CD; the vocals tend to be a little hindered by the big sound of the band and although it's a pretty beefy sound it does occasionally drift into something approaching 'music as heard through soggy cardboard'! In truth the sound is a little harsh and boomy at times but I think I get the bigger picture anyway.
If you want musical honesty The Screamin Eagles can give it to you with this eight track work; no way could this be described as over-produced or studio enhanced, this is as real as it gets!! At times The Screamin Eagles put me in mind of some of the big rock outfits of the late 60's like Blue Cheer and very early Grateful Dead; the retro sounding keys bare a striking resemblance to those days now gone but by no means forgotten but the overall feeling is one of distinctly 'now' aggression and unbridled passion for the job-in-hand. Hey, these boys sure can play and they sure do rock and 'The Screamin Eagles', as an album, totally captures the band's bold and brazen approach and showcases their 'this is exactly what we are' attitude - you can't really ask for more - can you?
As a promotional work to sell this band as a live unit this album works perfectly but, for me, as a piece of pure contemporary rock it just lacks a little finesse. That said, I'm pretty sure The Screamin Eagles achieved everything they set out to achieve here - a bustlin' tornado of electric fire that comes from deep within their collective heart - job done then!! 'The Screamin Eagles' then is a genuine warts'n'all work that tells the listener everything he or she needs to know about this outrageously rockin' outfit - job done again!! This is a damn good but not necessarily great album - it's massive on energy and as honest as the day is long but, for me, just lacks that little bit of polish that would lift the album and the band to a higher level. But, my God it's business-like!
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