Customer Reviews

White Light Rock & Roll Review [Limited Edition Digipak]

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A complete departure from the epic and artful Avalanche, White Light Rock and Roll Review is vivid and immediate -- an album which, as we have come to expect from Matthew Good, is a complete suprise. He brings the lyrical flair he has always possessed to bear on issues he has always discussed. It has been Matt Good's modus operandi since day one to release "different" albums; he has gone from folk, to indie-rock, to alt-rock; from to 3:30 pop rock to 8:00 orchestral masterpieces. As always, each of his records alienates a certain number of people who expect him to release "Weapon II" or "Hello Again Time Bomb", and most of this album's detractors belong to this group. Trust me, and pick it up for yourself, even if you weren't a fan of Avalanche.

Get it. That's all there is to say.

Now, here's an artist who speaks and says what he feels. His style changes from album to album, and more so on this album. He is an influential Canadian artist, and a damn good singer. This album takes us once again into the mind of Mr. Matt Good, only this time something seems to be missing. It isn't anything bad vocally, it's more...instrumental. I guess the days of Matt Good's ballads are gone, and we get the general idea on this album. The guitar isn't as heavy and carries bluesy undertones. It is none other than a Rock & Roll album. So take it with a grain of salt and get used to the new Matt. There are strong influences present on this album...don't quote me or anything...these are mere guesses but, there is a touch of Jimi Hendrix style guitar playing (tracks 2 and 7) and a touch of Blue Oyster Cult (tracks 8 and 11). There is one more influence...the south. This Album has a very southern sound in a few songs. Personally, I'm getting used to it all myself. This is going to be one of those albums that eventually grows on you with repeated listening. Enjoy.

Indeed this album lives up to it's title. Matt Good delivers an album that is pure rock and roll from start to finish. Die hard Matt Good fans should not expect similar sounds to the orchestral melodies of "Avalanche", nor hoping for traces of the Matthew Good Band past works...Moreover, they should buy this album and listen to it with an open mind because it's quite the different sound you may be expecting. A more up-beat and "happier" rock album; "White Light.." reminds us that good old fashioned rock and roll is missing in today's music stream.
Matt Good makes it work....even if it takes you a few listens.

starts off with what could be an amazing concert opening, a rock rift, with a chorus that sounds awesome, and the verses in between are just nice. its a short track, but the chourus, just makes you wanna sing along. the guitar in it, and the solo is pretty gifted and let's you know what you're about to be facing! now I never heard Matt's early stuff so I can't compare that, I have heard "Avalanch" and "Beautiful Midnight" and, they are just as good, this is much more rockier, and so the second track now begins.

with another electric rock n roll guitar rifts to start, we here some IN YOUR FACE vocals with some really great lyrics!
just as good as the first one! with a stand out rift that goes on through out the whole song! theres a rockish melow bit, but the song starts up with power again, again, nice riff at the first.

next track is a great stand out, you hear Matt start singing each note with each strum for a bit, and then he just starts singing away from the brilliant music. true rock 'n roll here! the album is fantastic, its a bit more mellow then the previous, but its A-ok. cause the vocals are still smooth and the music is a bit melow, until it builds up to a strong healthy solo, that really makes you turn around from what ever you are doing and just listen even more!

... it don't end like that though, the song is just getting more stronger, just listen to it you'll see what i mean, its definetly rock with a classic rock feel which is nice! fantastic song!

starts off with an acoustic strum is the next track, and then you hear like this song that you would wanna hear at the end of a day, long exhuasting day. like all his vocals they are really nice! these ones are more sweet, and the chorus is medicine for the stressed heart.

(as you may tell by now i'm not getting into specific with the lyrics you'll have to read other reviews for that. there are none with the album but you can find them on his website. i do wish this did have lyrics in it, because i didn't wanna drag myself back to the computer if i didn't have too, and well now i have to get the lyrics.)

This next song has a video, its ALERT STATUS RED, and it has a really catchy rift, the lyrics are awesome, and the vocals are really cool! definetly a rocker song, and the only thing to complain about it is, on a odd feeling, the chorus of the song can get a bit tiresome. but a fantastic song.

what's this next song sharing? some really nice music! nice sly drum beat, but some really nice guitar, almost hendrix style if you will, but its more like MATT style, this guy is really good!

this is like a southern rock type of feel, which is good, cause that kinda evolves from the rock type of thing.
vocals are great, with some special electronic tough to some of them. the music is also great, so it makes it a great song to hear.
and the chourus would be great to hear at concert, people just singing along, its nice!

another rock song, bit heavy melodically guitar, with some more in your face vocals and lyrics. NORTH AMERICAN FOR LIFE!! good track for sure, have to turn up your volume for this!

a real slow song here, with the odd string plucking on the electric guitar at the first, vocals come in and they are sweet again, then the song starts to get some more accomaniment, half way through almost, it does get a bit more powerful but not much, the song is nice, it does melow down a bit again, but a real nice classic solo will join the song about six minutes in and the song ends at 8.14s

another would be nice concert song, with some nice vocals! oh yeah! a nice honest chorus to sounds like the character in song singing to his girlfriend. a real talented solo, classic.

this is a really fun song, its not a real heavy but one but it is absolutely great! and the chorus really is neat and goes with the rift well, LAY DOWN LAY DOWN LAY DOWN, im talkin STAND UP STAND UP!

last song on the album, a great album closure right here, some really high vocals in the chorus, but the music stands right now, and you have to turn this up, its the last song!! i would like to hear this close his concert anyday, well done MATT for a great album

the only complaint i have for this song, is there were no lyrics in my liner notes, oh well, that doesn't affect the album any, the album rocks!

... oh your still reading, lol, bookworm, well, seeing how you like to read i'll tell ya something, there is a hidden song. yup, i don't know what its called but its like a minute after the last song, just skip forward...

a real 50's like modern day type of song. its about a man, who feels he's not a better enough man for his girl.

"cause i'm hopeless, but i dont, knooow it i would i suppose if i was a better man!"
a really nice track with some 50's like guitar and drums and lyrics. the vocals, nice. some say its country, its not, its 50's rock, listen to it, you'll see what i mean. anyway, awesome song, a spectacular album by MATTHEW GOOD

buy it!! i don't have to tell you to enjoy, cause i know you will
different then AVALANCHE if you LOVE AVALANCHE like i do.
both are classic, get this one first *wink*
hell get them both first if you can =D

A great writer who has put together a great Cd with well written songs and music. Matt has done it again. One listen and you will fall in love with this CD.

Matt Good - what more do I have to say?!

His intellectual and probing lyrics are once again thought provoking and enjoyable!

Personal favourites are Alert Status Red and Buffalo Seven

Great Music, as if he could produce anything else!

Pick up this CD!

Matt has made an album that to me defines the "sound" of Canadian Music. The songs are stipped down to their bear minimum will little fuss or effects to bring us a taste of what might be going on in his head for the last year, where so much in his own life has changed. This new album is not the heart grabbing songs that made up AoB and BM or the more melodic progressive feel of Avalanche, but it is still Matt to the core. What I like about his songwriting is that you can hear and watch his songwriting grow and evolve as he does where no two albums sound the same.. and yet live he can still bring down the roof live. Keep em' coming!

This album is pure rock and roll, and I think that's what Matthew Good wanted. I think he was beginning to feel that people saw all of his work as being the same, and this album is a stand-out among the rest. Much of the album is driving rock right from the very first sound. Alert Status Red is a song you will listen to over and over again, and many of the songs like 'Put Out Your Lights', 'Poor Man's Grey' and North American for Life' will get you going for sure.

'Blue Skies over Badlands' is worth the money itself. Listening to it will put you in another world, it goes away from the mainstream rock songs and has a personality. It's beautiful and you will love it if you love music.

Definitely a must-get album for Rock and Roll lovers.

While this is a great album and all, it just seems to be lacking something. It's ever so slightly missing the "listen to it over and over again appeal" of his first 2 solo albums. If you were drawn to songs such as "Truffle Pigs", or "The Workers Sing A Song Of Mass Production", this may not be the album for you. You won't find that slow, lyrically intense type of song on this album. However if you are a hardcore fan, you will appreciate this album for all it's worth. It hints of the early days when he put out songs such as "Requim for Rosemary", and my all time favorite, "Raygun". All and all, this is a great modern rock-n'-roll album, and I highly recommend to the dedicated fan. You will not be disappointed.