Revelations

by

Gene

Edit

it took me forever to finally get my hands on this album because i had to track down a german import since it was not available in the u.s. when it was first released. once i had listened to it, i was a bit surprised at the change in the styles. i had fallen deeply for Gene's Olympian album, mainly because of the obvious Smiths/Morrissey influence in the band's sound. but this album reveals a more headstrong and bar rocking group that isn't ashamed to flex a bit of muscle in their strut. it took some time to get used to, but once it settled in, i could appreciate this album for what it is.

the english pop elements are still largely in place such as in the songs "In Love With Love" and the moving "Angel." but the pub stomp of "The British Disease" and "Fill Her Up" is where the band really excels in their newfound groove. unfortunately, about halfway through the album, the charm begins to wear thin and Gene presents the listener with a handful of forgettable songs. luckily, they finish of the album with a pretty good ballad "You'll never Walk Again."

overall, Revelations is not a bad album; not bad at all...but one that shows an unrest and a slight confusion in the songwriting process. it pales in comparison to Olympian and Drawn To The Deep End. but there are some moments on here that make it a worthwhile purchase for the fans of this group. (and Revelations is a million times better than the dreadful Libertine record that would follow). ouch.

oh yea...

one more negative thing; what is up with this horrible cover? everyone's faces just smearing in together just doesn't look good. and, let's be honest, shall we? Gene were never really that photogenic of a band. *ahem*