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The Failure

...Of Reason
2003
Meter

The Failure - ...Of Reason (Cover Artwork)


Review by: Brian
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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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    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, May 6, 2004 at 8:13 AM (EDT)
    My Score:

    Does this band have a website?

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, April 19, 2004 at 9:36 PM (EDT)
    My Score:

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

    Posted by fatbrendan on 2004-04-02 16:33:27
    My Score:

    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".

    Posted by GreenVandal on 2003-12-19 20:31:37
    My Score:

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

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 19, 2003 at 12:06 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    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 :)

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, December 16, 2003 at 7:45 PM (EST)
    My Score:

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

    -BSD

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, December 16, 2003 at 6:33 AM (EST)
    My Score:

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

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, December 16, 2003 at 2:06 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    The most appropriate band name ever.

    Posted by GreenVandal on 2003-12-16 01:02:35
    My Score:

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

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, December 15, 2003 at 6:18 PM (EST)
    My Score:

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

    -BSD

    Posted by FortyMinutesWest on 2003-12-15 18:11:49
    My Score:

    To quote Homer Simpson:

    "NEEEEEERDDDDDS!"

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, December 15, 2003 at 6:06 PM (EST)
    My Score:

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

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

    Posted by GreenVandal on 2003-12-15 17:48:31
    My Score:

    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.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, December 15, 2003 at 4:57 PM (EST)
    My Score:

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

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, December 15, 2003 at 4:24 PM (EST)
    My Score:

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

    -BSD

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, December 15, 2003 at 12:57 PM (EST)
    My Score:

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

    Posted by GreenVandal on 2003-12-15 08:08:55
    My Score:

    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!

    Posted by FortyMinutesWest on 2003-12-15 00:18:43
    My Score:

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

    hahahahahahaha.

    Sorry, someone had to do it.

    Posted by Fuzzy on 2003-12-15 00:14:55
    My Score:

    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

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, December 14, 2003 at 4:19 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    "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

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, December 14, 2003 at 4:17 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    "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

    Posted by Fuzzy on 2003-12-14 09:43:47
    My Score:

    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...

    Posted by GreenVandal on 2003-12-14 08:23:27
    My Score:

    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!

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, December 14, 2003 at 2:34 AM (EST)
    My Score:

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

    -BSD

    Posted by GreenVandal on 2003-12-13 21:56:50
    My Score:

    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.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 13, 2003 at 8:24 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    contributions

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 13, 2003 at 7:29 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Haha, yes, because The Failure have been making honest musical contributations to the punk scene for over 20 years... I know, they totally crush the Chaos!

    -BSD

    P.S.: I could so take GreenDase in a knife fight, it isn't even funny.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 13, 2003 at 7:26 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    bsd, you shouldn't talk - you like Chaos UK - stupid gutter punks

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 13, 2003 at 7:04 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    ...and the feud between bsd and inagreendase continues...

    He dismantled our poor vandal...can inagreendase handle the knife-weilding bsd any better??
    -Janelle
    I'd like to see how this turns out...
    this score is for knife fights.
    and knife fight parties.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 13, 2003 at 2:55 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Space rock blows.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 13, 2003 at 5:35 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    I miss Failure...now a whole lot more. This score is for the space-rock Failure.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 13, 2003 at 5:35 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    I miss Failure...now a whole lot more.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 13, 2003 at 12:35 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    Nevermind that ATDI comment; I just realized that you said "simplistic version" of them, and I guess I can see that.
    My mistake.

    Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, December 13, 2003 at 12:34 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    Could be better, could be worse.
    I don't really see the ATDI comparison...the backing music of this band is really simple and frankly, pretty boring, while ATDI is much more original.
    This band could help themselves out if they got a singer who didn't have to strain his voice to his basic notes.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 12, 2003 at 8:51 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    All you losers need to get over the name thing and quit saying it sucks just for the sake of saying it sucks. Im from Calgary and I gotta stick up for some local talent.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 12, 2003 at 6:48 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Yeah, "The Failure" needs to get their asses sued off by the real Failure pretty damn soon. Fucking idiots..

    --Cos

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 12, 2003 at 5:31 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    This shit blows. You know someone's tastes in music are terrible if they like this crap.

    -BSD

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 12, 2003 at 5:25 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    This band sucks. they suck even more for not realizing that their band name is almost identital to FAILURE, a far better band than they will ever be. go buy fantastic planet instead of this crap.

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 12, 2003 at 4:33 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    the world dosnt need shit like this.