Customer Reviews

Avalanche (W/Web Link)

5 star:		(64)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

...Wow. The first time I listened to this album, it left me searching for words to describe it. This album is quite possibly the best piece of music I've ever heard. From start to finish, Matt Good touches up on each of his own personal conflicts and ideals. Me being a cynical person myself, I can completely relate to him.

I've always been a fan of Matthew Good, especially with Beautiful Midnight. When I heard his band broke up, I thought it was the end. But when Avalanche came out, I was just...blown away. This is easily better than any of the other albums released. And that's saying a lot, as all of his albums have been works of art.

Quite possibly my favourite song is 21st Century Living, where Matt Good describes what he thinks of ambition and how society makes use of it today, or Weapon, which evokes a mixed bag of emotions. The serene soundscape that is painted at the start, followed by the intense, emotion-filled mid-section, back to the serene starting...it just leaves you breathless. Even if you aren't a big fan of the alternative rock scene, you should listen to this, if nothing else but for the lyrics. They're very deep, deeper than just about anything you'll hear out there today. If only more people would know about Canada's secret that is Matt Good...

Without a doubt this CD is still the best CD that Matthew Good has ever written; and that's saying alot given his body of work to date. From his amazing musical compositions, to the inticing lyrics and that voice...it never let's us down! I would never want to say if your going to buy 1 CD of his; buy this one...because you would be missing out on listening to some of the best music out there in rock or alt-rock today. So don't sell yourselves short kids...make sure you check out his other CD's too because they are that good!

1.Pledge of Allegiance: Love the opening with the drums and his voice is so strong and grabs your attention immediately and you start to remember why you liked The Matthew Good band so much & how much his voice made that band (in my opinion). What amazing lyrics...love the use of the bells in this song which give it that extra something special!

2.Lullaby For The New Order: I love the use of various instruments in this song especially the sections with some classical instruments. This is a great song vocalizing the need for people to speak up about things that are of concern to them. It feels like a commentary on the times; probably a war as I know he is so well informed about politics & the politcal stage in society today. Great way to motivate people to become involved!

3. Weapon: This is my 2nd favorite song on the CD. I find the guitar work beyond words; so well done coupled with what feels like haunting dramatic lyrics that are so fitting for the song. To me this composition is so good...it feels like it should be played with a symphony orchestra. Then I love after the soft introduction how he just lets it rip and it becomes a rock piece. I'm always amazed how he constructs the songs so magnificently. I could listen to this song all night it's that good!

4.In A World Called Catastophe: I love the beginning of this song...listening to it at first I thought wow this would have been a cool R.E.M. song too...or better yet ..it would have been great if he & Michael Stipes did a collaboration of this song; maybe that would be cool to do down the road. His vocal just kills it after the 1st chorus...sounds like an echo...how does he do that? That is just sick it's so good! Definetly a commentary on society today which alot of folks can identify with (at leaet the smart ones! Ha! Ha!)!

5.Avalanche: This is my favorite song on the CD; just so intimate and the lower register he sings in initially is just so cool. Then it changes and I love hearing him changing frets on the guitar. The guitar sounds so good; just repetively looping that arrangement is so good and then he switches it up again....and the composition just becomes so powerful & he creates a depth musically to give the listener the impression of an avalanche with the instrumentation construction of this song. I love him talking in it...and the background in the later portion reminded of perhaps a Pink Floyd influence on it. Then back to the beautiful acoustical guitar and those lyrics are just the Best! I put this on Repeat often it is just so good! His voice sounds like an avalanche with the echo effect he puts in the song near the end! So cool!

6.21st Century Living: I so love the intro to this song....shows his sense of sarcastic humour...yes...! So many of us would love to say this...or probably have in our protest to the fast food lifestyle within society that we live in these days! Awesome rock song conveying the struggle for youth in today's society and all the things that you have to deal with. I think he should do more songs where he's talking through it....his words are so poignant & relevant....love all the F bombs too; they just make this song even better! If the Occupy protest wants a song for their marches; this should be the one!

7.While We Were Hunting Rabbits: Love the instrumentation of this song...just hope he wasn't actually hunting rabbits (in the concrete sense) but then I guess the human form wouldn't be any better either...the lyrics are so interesting! Love the drumming; he is so good at knowing which instrument to put in each song.

8.Bright End Of Nowhere: I feel like I'm looking at stars when I listen to this song instrumentally but then his lyrics take you on this journey into his soul. Sounds like him reflecting on a relationship that ended.

9.Near Fantastica: While I like most of the instrumentation on this song from a creative aspect I'm not totally gone on this song. Again I love the echo effect he puts into his vocal performance and there are some interesting lyrics in this song but I found it too scattered to get any great "meaning" out of it. The rock & distorted elements in the song are unique & stand out. I felt like he at first was talking about his BP...then next it sounds like an anthem from a trip to some other planet...if that's the case then it all works! I feel like Major Tom should show up for this one! Ha! Ha!

10.Song For The Girl: Wow what just a beautiful song.......the acoustic never sounded better and the rest of the instruments just give it that great acoustical/rock song vibe coupled with his voice that really is just so good on this song (like all the rest)! His voice is one that is also instantly recognizable when you hear it on the radio. This is another of my favorite songs on my favorite playlist. I like the group vocal on this...and whoever the girl is ....yes well let's just say lucky!

11.House Of Smoke & Mirrors: This is my favorite song also (a tie with Avalanche) as I love the guitar work. I love how intimate he kept it..you can hear him clearing his voice before he starts the vocal. He makes you feel like he's in the room singing it; now this is when we need songovision! Ha! Ha! Lyrically I still think this is the best song he has ever written with such a touching, insightful, self-reflective maturity and ability.

These are my favorite songs from this CD...get it....love it...buy copies for your friends, family too. Whenever I am stuck at Xmas I pull out a Matty CD....and start wrapping! Ha! Ha!

Cheers All!

I was another one who was sad to see the demise of MGB and if you pick up this CD expecting it to be MGB solo you will be disappointed. This is literally an avalanche of sounds and lush landscapes. At the same time feeling clean and fresh and being some of the best songs MG has written.

While it's definitely a Matthew Good album the roaring guitars and heavy rock elements of MGB have been replaced by immense drums, acoustic guitars and soaring string arrangements. That's not to say it doesn't plug in the amplifiers and hit some big riffs when it needs to, because if you've heard or seen the great video for Weapon (which was also featured on the series Alias) you'll know that MG still rocks.

Songs like Rabbits and Avalanche have the slow, dense, mementous build of tracks like A Boy and His Machine Gun and Failing the Rorschach Test. Double Life and Song for the Girl are rockers that wouldn't be out of place on Underdogs. Lullaby is a melodic acoustic pop-rock track with an uplifting string section, and Long Way Down could be Tori Amos revisiting Surburbia.

Make no mistake, lyrically and musically (and personally!) this is still Matt Good. So when he rips apart supersized fast food on 21st Century Living or dwells on small town misery in Long Way Down you'll feel right at home.

And it's always good to be home.

I grew up on the US side of the Canadian border and had the pleasure of experiencing the Matthew Good Band from the beginning of their career. All of their albums are amazing, and Matthew Good has taken it a step further with his solo release. Politically conscious and outspoken, personal philosophies come through in the music and the few interviews I have read. He's passionate in what he believes apparently, which is a break in the clouds of apathy and ignorance choking those of us looking for kindred spirits in the search for truth and heart amidst money-fueled destruction. Beautiful music combined with a real message is art, and that's what this is. It takes monumental courage and intelligence to see the wrongs of this world and speak and sing about it, in the face of mindless conformity, and at the expense of probably your own commercial success in the US. If this is arrogance, I'd like some more please, from everyone.

Comparing "Avalanche" to Matthew Good Band's previous stuff isn't all that fair or realistic in terms of reviewing this album's quality, but, there are still two of the four band members [Matt included]; so it isn't like comparing chalk and cheese.

Nonetheless, if you got into MGB from "Beautiful Midnight" or indeed "The Audio of Being", this is not a follow-on. Matt has reverted back to his roots and his love - acoustic rock. There is no diversity in terms of the music, even with the best efforts of the Vancouver Symphony Orchastra in tracks like "While We Were Hunting Rabbits", "Avalanche" and "Weapon". Coincidentally, these are some of the stand-outs on what is otherwise a dull and somewhat bland offering from someone with -seemingly - as much talent and creativity as Matthew Good.

Don't get me wrong; in comparison to the stuff that's boomed out on your local radio station - this is still on a higher plateau, but it just seems that the more thought-provoking witty side of Good is gone for good, no pun intended. Tracks like "Song For The Girl" and "Double Life" deal with themes of love and their subject matters are a lot narrower than previous stuff. What you see and hear and read is what you get.

Matt also focusses a lot of his attention on the wrong-doings of first world countries - America in particular - without screaming directly at them. Nonetheless "21st Century Living" is about as up-front as you can get in terms of lyrical content. "Lullaby For The New World Order", "Long Way Down" and "Pledge of Allegiance" aren't far behind, though in terms of song structure and lyrical content, they're somewhat better and more friendly to the listener.

One his biggest faults, which is clearly shown on this thirteen track offering is overdoing some songs and letting them go on for too long. "Near Fantastica", for example could have been wrapped up in five and a half or so minutes, though it drags on to proudly reach the eight minute mark without anything spectacular in the closing stages. "In A World Called Catastrophe" is the same in this respect, though in my opinion, it shouldn't have even been on the album, never mind be the promotional single for it.

If you're a Matthew Good fan, you'll appreciate it as a good start to what will hopefully be a long solo career. However, if you're a first time listener, I would advise checking out one of Matthew Good Band's albums before getting your teeth into this.

Matt Good, I'll admit Im totally obssessed with. Its more than likely the music playing as I'm driving, or just chilling in my room. Avalanche is one of my fav cds. It has some of the most brilliant music. To be honest, at first I wasn't too sure about this cd, but once listening to it again and again I've grown to love it. It has my all time matt good fav song on it- long way down (yeah it was hard to pick a fav). Please get this cd. Ive recommended matt good to some brit friends and they absolutely love weapon and really enjoy him. Matt Good is brilliant! :)

I'm in Australia and only discovered Matthew Good fairly recently, thanks to a Canadian friend who told me to give him a try. That was the best peice of advice I've had in a long time. I have shed tears of pure joy over this masterpeice of music. It is nothing short of perfect. I want to thank him and thank him again, for the pleasure his music has brought into my life. Finally, here is something in the world of music to be excited about

I have always been a fan of the Matt good Bands work, and I didn't pay much attention to his solo release, I loved the song weapon, but I never picked up the album....so maybe a year after its realeased after getting minimal attention here in Canada I decided to buy it and give it a listen.....Wow....I was stuck in my seat listening for 3 days....this is Matt Goods best work done yet....truly outstanding...what a CD, from top to bottom its stellar, and it has some tracks that will just blow you away.....
Bright End of Nowhere, Pledge of Allegience, House of Smoke and Mirrors, Lullaby for the New World, Avalanche, Song for the Girl not to mention his video released songs Weapon and In World Called Catastrophe...all killer tracks, my personal favourite, and one of the best songs I've ever heard is While we were hunting Rabbits.....what a song....its so powerful towards the end you can't even move....all I can say is buy this CD!!

Matthew Good is an artist I have come to respect in time. By word of mouth and the way I often saw him portrayed in the media, I came to believe he was really an arrogant snob with a loud mouth. Then I heard the music he made...it is honestly some of the most soulful, emotional and powerful music I have ever heard.

On his first effort since the break up of the band, Matthew Good delivers a dream-like experience covering a range of emotion - it seems to me that Good is trying to find his place in this world throughout the disc, and the journey takes him everywhere from the trance-like, bell-steeped "Pledge Of Allegiance" to the electronica-influenced "Near Fantastica" and the sheer musical and lyrical power of "Avalanche." The kicker on this disc, as far as I am concerned, is the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra is featured in nearly every song, adding anouther layer to the amazing effort this disc is.

This disc is a must-listen for anyone who enjoys someone who expresses his thoughts, opinions and emotions through the beauty of music. Listen to the whole thing in one sitting, with the volume up, sans distractions, and I gurantee you will come out a fan.

Provocative and powerful, this CD doesn't need a long review. It is simply one of the best recordings ever.