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| Life: After The Movie - Storm Records |
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 Though it's been a long time coming, the "Life: After The Movie" compilation from Storm Records of Royal Oak finally made it's way out of Mitch's CD player and into his computer for a review.
'I really had no idea what a wealth of great punk bands we had in the Detroit area until I heard this disc. I felt like I'd just crawled out from beneath my own sheltered rock (my office) to discover punk for the very first time.'CD: Life After The Movie
Artist: Various
Label: Storm Records
The Praise
There's really no better way to discover the best of local independent music than purchasing a hand-picked selection of favorites from a "True Believer" with great taste. Norm Andreson, head of Storm Records out of Royal Oak, has proven himself worthy of the title by packaging some of the best punk music I've ever heard on the 22 track compilation, "Life After The Movie."
Though there's a variety of sub-genres strewn throughout this lengthy CD, it's the infectious punk and rock gems in the first eight tracks that get your head a-bagin' and your pipes a-wailin' while your careening down The Lodge to destinations downtown.
I really had no idea what a wealth of great punk bands we had in the Detroit area until I heard this disc. I felt like I'd just crawled out from beneath my own sheltered rock to discover the power of punk for the very first time. And it's not just attitude, but compelling song-writing that keeps you from skipping tracks as you listen.
Though there are more great tracks than I can list, my absolute favorites in no particular order are as follows:
- "Vacation" by Hoppin' Mad
- "Kill" by Grayling
- "Sentenced Man" by Trash Brats
- "Amy Went Away" by Caulfield
- "Mississippi Highway" - Kung Fu Diesel
- "Temptation" - Broadzilla
- "Stale" by Wired Masses
- "An American" by D.W. Harris
Based on these songs alone, I'd make the effort to see any of these acts live or check out their own full-length CD's.
The Punch
If I have to be critical for balance, I'd say this disc is about seven tracks too long. Unless I'm listening to a retrospective, I can't sit through any more than fifteen tracks and even that stretches my attention span. I can understand the economical temptation to load as many tracks on a CD as you can fit, but it can ruin the experience for the listener.
I find that I tend to enjoy a CD more if the entire experience can be compartmentalized into my average drive-time on the weekend (which is about a half-hour to forty minutes- or ten to twelve songs). It's like watching a good movie; you enjoy it a hell of a lot more if you get to see it from beginning to end in one sitting. Sometimes I never hear all the tracks to a CD because I become bored or restless before I ever get to the end. It may sound silly, but those subtle psychological thorns may determine if I ever listen to the CD again. Why? Because I feel a little guilty when I pull a CD before it's time is up. When I decide what to listen to next, I'd bet that subconsciously I'll avoid music that's caused me psychological discomfort, however slight.
Also, I really don't understand the inclusion of a hidden track on a compilation disc. Though we may have grown accustomed to getting these little "treats", it makes no sense to include an extra track (and a good one at that) on a CD when you have no clue who is responsible. It's fine when you've already listened to a whole CD's worth of one band's music; you simply assume the same is true for the extra track. No such assumptions can be made on a compilation CD with 22 artists. Who the hell is that band?
Conclusion: BUY THIS CD
Despite it's few flaws, there's way too many great songs on this fine compilation to ignore it. I can say with confidence that this CD will not only entertain you from the burbs all the way to D-Town, but that you will find yourself checking the local calendars to catch at least one of these acts live.
If you don't think there is any worthy independent music in the Detroit area, you're either too lazy to find out for yourself or you just haven't experienced "Life: After The Movie."
- Mitch
(ED NOTE: Apparently, there is a good reason to to put a hidden track on a compilation disc, according to Norm Andreson: It prevents the audience from pre-judging a well-known local artist. Intrigued? Buy the disc. )
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Re: Life: After The Movie - Storm Records (Score: 1)
by supermodel-t (info@supermodel-t.com) on Saturday, May 10, 2003 @ 09:20:22 MDT
(User Info | Send a Message) | | Great review Mitch! |
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Average Score: 5
Votes: 2
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