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The Failure

...Of Reason (2003)
Meter

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Contributed by: Brian
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on December 12th 2003

The first name-dropped comparison is from coincidence rather than influence, I know already, but if you took the quirky vocal stylings and overall feel of Motion City Soundtrack, but left the keyboard and downtuned the energy a bit in some places, and maneuvered it with a simplistic version of an At the Drive-In approach, you would have The Failure. No, this is The Failure, with former members of Calgary’s now defunct The Everymen, not the other now defunct band Failure who currently has members in Year of the Rabbit.

This band plays some good, rarely-poppy, melodic, driving rock, combining flashes of talented breakdown riffing with pieces of gentle, mellow instrumentation. However, they’re at their best in cynical aggressiveness, like in “Greymoment/Enjoy it While it’s Over,” which could pass for a single that stemmed from AtDI’s Relationship of Command sessions. The song also shows the discretionary social relevance the lyrics hold, with the chorus line of “it’s the time, that we feel, that distraction emulates the focus we lack,” the distraction being the bright lights and flashiness of our “fast food culture.”

It’s essentially just a hybrid of catchy melodies and restrained experimentation that keeps everything interesting. Plus there’s a self-contradicted Samantha Mathis clip from “Pump Up the Volume;” can’t beat that. Their sophomore release is recommended.

MP3
“Greymoment/Enjoy it While It’s Over”

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Anonymous (May 6, 2004)

Does this band have a website?

Anonymous (April 19, 2004)

This album rules. I've seen the band and they rule too.

fatbrendan (April 2, 2004)

this is a really good album, i just find it to be too long with 16 tracks. there are some really well written songs tho, like "Director of Misinformation" and "Cumulo Nimbus".

GreenVandal (December 19, 2003)

Yeah middle eastern kids need more magic cards. Why? I dont have a fucking clue, but I bet they do.

Anonymous (December 19, 2003)

I have only heard the song which is downloadable on this page. Sounds really good.
I really liked the "Darkness" singing in the beginning. And, they even sing Darkness in the first lines :)

Anonymous (December 16, 2003)

I'm liberating their tyranical, inept, and downright terrible deck of cards.

-BSD

Anonymous (December 16, 2003)

you make money selling em to "middle eastern kids?" AHHHHHH!!!!
-Janelle

Anonymous (December 16, 2003)

The most appropriate band name ever.

GreenVandal (December 16, 2003)

Well maybe I do only tell myself that. But it still used to be awesome. Dont play no more...

Anonymous (December 15, 2003)

Put short: the best thing about Magic is the hundreds of dollars I've made selling my collection to middle eastern kids.

-BSD

FortyMinutesWest (December 15, 2003)

To quote Homer Simpson:

"NEEEEEERDDDDDS!"

Anonymous (December 15, 2003)

"Kinda like D&D...except a little less insanely lame."

yeah, that's what you tell yourself...
-Janelle

GreenVandal (December 15, 2003)

I was talkin to forty stupid. Ill use one of my many anti black cards on you next!

hehe

Janelle doesnt know about Magic: The Gathering! Haha, you non-geek! Its a collectible card game thats kind of complex to play. Kinda like D&D...except a little less insanely lame.

Anonymous (December 15, 2003)

that doesn't answer my question...
-Janelle

Anonymous (December 15, 2003)

Yeah, BS, I have the Demonic Hordes and a crap load of those weird freaky black cards against you.

-BSD

Anonymous (December 15, 2003)

Seriously, what the fuck is this shit?
-Janelle
these cards - what the hell?

GreenVandal (December 15, 2003)

Dude. I have 11 untapped mountains and a fireball with your name on it. Id back shut up.

ILL TURN THE CRAD SIDEWAYS, I MEAN IT!

FortyMinutesWest (December 15, 2003)

This is where I laugh at you guys for playing magic:

hahahahahahaha.

Sorry, someone had to do it.

Fuzzy (December 15, 2003)

Excuse me. Bitches.
Card Name: Shivan Dragon
Color: Red
Cost: 4RR
Type: Creature - Dragon
Pow/Tgh: 5/5
Rules Text: Flying
R: Shivan Dragon gets 1/ 0 until end of turn.
Flavor Text: The undisputed master of the mountains of Shiv.
Rarity: R
Scroll down about halfway or do a ctrl f search for SHIVAN

Anonymous (December 14, 2003)

"Actually, I think it was just 1/ 0 for each red. What was really awesome was the Nightmare, with it's strength/toughness decided by how many Swamps you had. I still carry around an Alpha Edition Serra Angel in my wallet..."

Pssh. Shows what you know. Shivan Dragon was like 6/6 and with flying ability or something. The NightMare was great too, though.

-BSD

Anonymous (December 14, 2003)

"Actually, yeah i did have that. That card is BADASS. wasnt it a 5/5 flying with a unlimited 1/ 1 for wach additional fire mana you tapped?

Some douchebag stole that from me...the fucker.

I stil like my Craw Giant better though.

GEEKS OF THE SITE UNITE!"

Yeah, but my collection of 5 Denizen of the Deeps will reap hacoc on your ass.

-BSD

Fuzzy (December 14, 2003)

Actually, I think it was just 1/ 0 for each red. What was really awesome was the Nightmare, with it's strength/toughness decided by how many Swamps you had. I still carry around an Alpha Edition Serra Angel in my wallet...

GreenVandal (December 14, 2003)

Actually, yeah i did have that. That card is BADASS. wasnt it a 5/5 flying with a unlimited 1/ 1 for wach additional fire mana you tapped?

Some douchebag stole that from me...the fucker.

I stil like my Craw Giant better though.

GEEKS OF THE SITE UNITE!

Anonymous (December 14, 2003)

Aha, but, Vandal, are you in possession of the ultra valuable Shivan Dragon card? Eh? I sold that card for 50 bucks.

-BSD

GreenVandal (December 13, 2003)

Good thing I used to play magic the gathering, or else I never would have found that revive card so that BSD's cheating ass knife fighting skills didnt finish me off.

Muhahah to geeks.

Cmon inagreendase! Win one for the green team! Hey that rhymes with dream...i made a unintentional pun! Rizock.