Destination Failure (Audio Cassette): Smoking Popes: Amazon.ca: Music

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Chicago's Smoking Popes deliver another stellar batch of buzzsaw punk-pop anthems about love and love lost on their second major-label album. Josh Caterer's emotional crooning still sounds a lot like Morrissey's, but mopey teenagers would be much better off listening to the Popes than Moz, because the joy inherent in their tunes always points the way out for the worst case of the blues. (Just pogo a bit, and everything is sure to feel better.) "Let's hear it for promises and something sealed with a kiss/Let's hear it for big mistakes that you just couldn't resist," Josh sings in "Let's Hear It for Love," which is pretty much the band's theme song. But the group really won my heart with the cover of "Pure Imagination" from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. How can you help but love these guys? --Jim Derogatis

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Customer Reviews

25 Reviews

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

4.4 out of 5 stars (25 customer reviews)

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Most helpful customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Finally a pop-punk band that doesn't sound like pop-punk., Jan 15 2002

By

S. Marth (New Hope, MN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Destination Failure (Audio CD)

While other pop-punk bands (i.e. Blink 182, Sum 41, and countless others whose names I forget, but likely end with numbers) seem to get stuck in a rut trying hard to sound like a pop punk band, the Popes simply take the aesthetic of pop-punk and play what they want to play. The chord progressions contain more than 4 chords a song, the instrumentation isn't always bashing you in the face, and the singer doesn't sound like some whiney Joey Ramone or Johnny Rotten sound-alike. Most of all, their songs are interesting and fun, but not just for the sake of being interesting and fun. They're just good songs. (Not to mention "Pure Imagination" is possibly the best cover I've ever heard)

Let's hear it for the Smoking Popes.

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5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best albums of the 90's, July 3 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Destination Failure (Audio CD)

The Smoking Popes blend heatfelt lyrics and melodies of love, love, oh yeah and more love into 3 minute pop songs that will make you want to cry. Destination Failure is an incredible cd and is one of the best cds of the 90's yet it still is not one of the Popes finest. This cd is highly recommend to any music fan and if you like this cd be sure to check out "Get Fired" and "Born To Quit." Please do your self a favor and listen to the Smoking Popes.

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5.0 out of 5 stars A band I looked for for years (literally), Jun 5 2001

By

mattaca (Boston, MA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Destination Failure (Audio CD)

The Smoking Popes are a band I literally hunted down for about three years. I had heard their song "Need You Around" from the album "Born to Quit" and fell in love, but always caught the first half, or second half, and never heard the DJ announce the bands name before the song lost its pace. Due to a great deal of time I spent listening to music in used CD stores, I eventually heard the song again and almost died--the rest of the album matched it perfectly. Destination Failure is their third release and almost but not quite tops "Born to Quit" in my mind. A little more commercial and marketed better, the album was a bigger success and got more exposure as they toured. Still, I give it five stars. Who could resist Caterer's classic lounge singer style with guitars backing him that make you want to rock? The band picks from Weezer somewhat, with ultra-slow lyrics and hyperactive guitar lines with plenty of bass. If you haven't listened to Smoking Popes before, prepare yourself, because you may not know whether you're supposed to feel aggresive, or depressed, or giddy, but you'll be sure to appreciate their unique style and a mood all their own.

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Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Yes, enjoy your pants
A great CD from a band that I beleive doesn't get enough credit. Great lyrics, and some pretty good licks that remind you of their not so poppy past. Read more

Published on Jan 12 2001 by popexxv

5.0 out of 5 stars "Destination" Aced!
There are few albums I can just pop into my cd player and listen to straight through, let alone be patient enough to listen to them for that long. Read more

Published on Jan 11 2001 by Marley