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A Static Lullaby

Faso Latido (2005)
Sony Music Entertainment

Reviewer Rating:

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

Published on April 5th 2005

Let's get this out of the way: I liked A Static Lullaby's And Don't Forget To Breathe. I liked it a lot. It doesn't get much play around these parts nowadays, but when it was first released two years ago, it came across to me as a much more intense, refreshing approach to the screaming trend, for lack of a better analogy, a trend of which was only beginning to pick up momentum at the time. So perhaps there's a little more ground in that sense in saying that Faso Latido, the band's major label debut, is a flat-out aural punishment.

A Static Lullaby has served up a carefully manipulated 51 minutes of boring, vaguely stoner-influenced radio rock with terrible songwriting and awkward pushes for arena choruses. While it's obvious the band can make a memorable, singable part here and there, it's constantly underminded by overproduction and/or cringe-worthy lyrics ("Do you / want to feel / like the knife is in you? [like the knife is in you!]"). It's never a positive when an album comes across as unintentionally funny, but it's just the case with Faso Latido.

Singer/screamer Joe Brown has been essentially relegated to backup duty; his formerly trademarked screams are scarce here, as the album depends much more on the clean singing from other members. When he does try and put his two cents into a song, it's basically demoted to background filler, sounding like a mostly pointless addition to the otherwise more accessible sound the band manages to achieve. Lead single "Stand Up" is a perfect example; it showcases a new, upbeat mood to the band with a nice, catchy guitar melody and Brown yelling parenthized footnotes to the verses, which never actually make that much sense ("As we walk these streets are bleeding!"). While the band actually sounding happy isn't necessarily a bad thing, their disappointingly cheesy chorus is.

The second track, "Smooth Modulator," is a fairly decent treatment of the new sound with mildly interesting percussion and on-off vocal pacing, but there isn't much to take notice of afterwards. Faso Latido marches forth with boring track after dull moment from that point on, with little to note and barely a second worth the effort to pay attention. A Static Lullaby has been completely defanged of their once aggressive, interesting nature. The band was never quite this chaotic monster of musical creativity and ambition, but they used to hide it somewhat well; Faso Latido is the band's exposition of reality, though.

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MattS (October 30, 2007)

one of the top 10 worst cd's ive ever heard...yes, even worse than parkway drive.

Satelliteyrs (October 2, 2006)

i really liked this cd alot,the new self titled stuff sounds way better 2

Anonymous (May 25, 2006)

I really liked their first album. This cd sucks. I am listeing to it right now... Why don't I just stop? aargh

Anonymous (May 3, 2006)

na.. underated album very underated

Anonymous (December 15, 2005)

ahhah this album sucks and they know it, when people were joking around in concert saying "play stand up" the vocalist look at him and said no, thats not going to be happening any time soon. i must say that they did play "New Noise" by Refused at one point in that show, so i couldnt hate them.

savvy (October 30, 2005)

Love this band! This album wasnt as good as the first! The first one rocked my face off!

LouiTheFish (October 25, 2005)

I'd say it's decent enough. It's a bit too popy for my tastes at times but they get the point across. I'd say it's good enough.

Anonymous (October 12, 2005)

First off I think this CD is great...
But my real purpose in posting is that I found a way to BEAT THE SECURITY and get the album on ITunes or your IPod!
You simply have to use the album's software to rip it to .WMV format, then burn those wmv files in correct order onto a blank CD. ITunes will read the CD you made as Faso Latido and you can import without trouble. This was really pissing me off until I found this way around the bullshit, since I listen to pretty much everything on my IPod. This method is tried and true.

Fuck you Columbia Records, we dont want to buy YOUR portable MP3 player.

-Sean S. Hoyt.

Anonymous (September 26, 2005)

they are good to me both cds i dont care to justify what i like and what i dont like....this cd just has catchy songs on it..i can see why ppl dont like stand up but idk or care this cd is sick

Anonymous (August 24, 2005)

Hey EVERYBODY!! Go buy the new LoveHateHero CD today!! It's in stores now!!! They will be on tour with FFAF and ASL in December '05!!!The CD ROCKS!!!

Anonymous (August 23, 2005)

"And dont forget to breath" was a beautifully crafted album, and when they play songs from it live kids go wild....
and then they played shit from faso latido, and it was gay

Anonymous (May 21, 2005)

I have to say I enjoy this album.

It's very catchy to me. I loved their first album and like this one a lot. I have to say it took me by surprise at first because it was a difference to what I was expecting to hear. But I personally like the Taking Back Sunday influenced vocals because I've always loved harmonies and melodies in vocals.

I do agree, though, that Joe Brown's position has been made very pointless and is probably only kept around to keep it as "scream" music and to play the old songs at shows. But if he wasn't on this album I don't think anyone would have noticed otherwise.

But other than that. I have to say I enjoy this cd a lot.

And then again. I like a lot of music that people hate and I like a lot of music everyone loves. But, that's just me.

Anonymous (April 28, 2005)

Ok .... Alot of you are fucking morons] who know nothing of art .... This cd isnt great i'll give you that but there first cd is fucking awsome.

Im not a big fan of this type of music myself . But I can appreciate good poetry . There first cd was moving and portrayed alot of diffrent emotions ..

I enjoyed just reading there lyrics as much as i did listening to them.

I can understand gWaR fans not liking this or fans of music that takes no tallent at all . But anyone with a soul or that can accept there human
should totlay dig there first cd's Withered/Dont forget to breath

But fuck it !! Im glad i can appreciate it.

And dont get thrown off by this cd as there first cd was much better I have bought 4 copys so far cause i wear it out or someone steals it cause its that good

(Other bands i like FYI)

Otep
TOOL
A perfedt circle
(Old)Slipknot. (Can anyone say PURITY?)
American head charge
Slayer
Machine head
Megadeth
(Older) Deftones
Glassjaw
The UsEd (Gotta see em live man I have 5 times)
Factory 81
(First 2 cd's) Hopesfall
System of a down

Fuck all you haters..... Go back to your soapbox the sky is falling

PunkST89 (April 25, 2005)

Okay but not the best they could've done...

Anonymous (April 22, 2005)

Sorry My Real Score

Anonymous (April 22, 2005)

DSL mais toute vos commentaires ces vraiment pourris. Ouvrez donc vos oreilles et écouté donc les sentiments a travers la musique mais vous êtes surement trop cave pour comprendre ca avec le genre de commentaire que vous laissez. Don't Give Up Guys this is a great album.

bloody_desire (April 16, 2005)

...and don't forget to breathe was way better than faso latido but I still liked it.

cronophrog (April 13, 2005)

Dear A Static Lullaby,
At least rip off a good band's cd art.

Love,
Down To Earth Approach

Anonymous (April 13, 2005)

When I saw these guys live at ToC they were really good, one of the best bands playing. They played mostly old stuff, I think one new song, which, of course, was Stand Up. But otherwise I thought they rocked live. *shrug* Oh well.

Anonymous (April 11, 2005)

I can't believe anyone is even arguing that the first album was even good...did you forget about the terrible high-school heartbreak lyrics? "Take this blade to my wrist and help me end what makes you ugly" ...wow. just amazing. not.

Anonymous (April 11, 2005)

These guys are Screamo Tap.

soulbleed (April 11, 2005)

totally agreed. this album and this band suck(s).

Anonymous (April 10, 2005)

fatso latino?

istapledmyfoot (April 9, 2005)

do ra me? a little PHRYGIAN going on?

Anonymous (April 8, 2005)

Shitty band, shitty history, shitty everything. Fuck this, and soyou know, this band isn't "Screamo". Screamo is bands like pg. 99, neil perry, hot cross, etc. This is emocore faggot bullshit with no fucking real style or unique flavor. Fuck any band like this.

Anonymous (April 8, 2005)

what about do ra me?

Anonymous (April 8, 2005)

but the cover art is so beautiful! it cant be thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat bad. actually, im sure it is
-j mizzle

tristan (April 7, 2005)

marlon - think of a musical scale... do-re-mi-[fa-so-la-ti-do]. read into that what you will.

Anonymous (April 7, 2005)

If people who thought the first album was good think this one sucks, this must be the worst album of the year.

swingline (April 7, 2005)

why didn't you? pussy

Anonymous (April 7, 2005)

i remember seeing this band at krazy fest in 2003 and no one liked them or was moving at all, and their singer kept saying "hey guys! it's krazy fest! why aren't you getting krazy?!?" and i kept wanting to yell "no one's getting 'krazy' because your band fucking sucks! please drink bleach and die!"

Marlon (April 7, 2005)

What does Faso Latido mean?

Anonymous (April 6, 2005)

This band WAS ALWAYS SHITTY. So what if their last album had screaming on it? Woo-fucking-hoo, it was all this bullshit about crying and slitting wrists over girls. Wha wha what. The music was pretty formulaic sing/scream shit that every other trendy "screamo" has done too.

So now they release a shitty CD with less screaming and some people are all suprised that they've made some huge change. Listen, they've always sucked and been shitty. Just because the screamer vocalist (who...well, what the fuck does he do when these new songs are played live??) doesn't scream as much just goes to show the thin curtain these guys were hiding behind before. Fuck this band.

Anonymous (April 6, 2005)

Here's the list of all the monsters in Shining Force II, including HPs, MPs, stats, & spells!

Monster Gold HP MP AT DF AG MV Weapon Spells, etc.
Arch Demon 1150 99 65 ?? 46 61 6 None Bolt 3, Slow attack
Arrow Launcher 290 33 0 35 24 23 4 Steel Arrow None
Black Monk 210 30 19 33 18 21 6 None Heal 2, Blast 1
Blue Shaman 860 72 60 ?? 54 51 5 Holy Staff Aura 3, Blast 4, Dispell attack
Bow Master 550 46 0 87 53 40 5 Assault Shell None
Bow Rider 610 61 0 95 55 44 7 Hyper Cannon None
Bubbling Ooze 330 32 0 47 35 26 4 None Blows Bubbles
Burst Rock 0 45 0 0 60 43 4 None None
Cameela 900 99 0 96 52 58 6 Iron ball Blaze 3
Cerberus 490 51 0 87 44 45 6 None Breathes fire
Chaos Dragon 980 83 0 ?? 48 57 6 None Chaos Storm breath
Chaos Warrior 790 76 23 ?? 50 54 5 None Magic Attack, Paralyze
Chaos Wizard 580 53 49 86 48 59 5 Great Rod Blaze 4
Cyclops 700 64 0 ?? 51 46 5 None None
Dark Bishop 320 39 38 54 38 27 5 Flail Aura 1, Blast 3
Dark Cleric 100 15 7 18 11 13 5 Short Rod Heal 1
Dark Dwarf 140 21 0 27 17 18 4 Short Axe None
Dark Gunner 680 60 0 97 56 45 4 Buster Shot None
Dark Knight 500 50 0 76 48 40 7 Chrome Lance None
Dark Madam 310 29 17 38 31 29 6 Power Stick Freeze 2
Dark Smoke 130 18 20 22 13 13 6 None Dispel 1
Dark Sniper 380 39 0 53 37 35 5 Hyper Cannon None
Dark Soldier 410 35 17 63 46 34 4 Large Axe Magic Attack 1
Death Archer 190 27 0 28 19 20 5 Iron Arrow None
Death Monk 150 23 13 27 14 18 6 None Heal 2, Blast 1
Demon 770 75 38 ?? 50 55 6 None Bolt 3
Demon Master 840 73 68 99 50 65 6 Mystery Staff Freeze 4, recovers 2 MP per turn
Devil Griffin 1120 89 0 ?? 47 59 7 None Breathes fire
Devil Soldier 510 60 16 84 48 43 6 Great Axe Boost 2
Dragonewt 530 60 0 87 42 46 6 Heat Axe Blaze 2
Evil Beast 1050 84 0 ?? 51 60 6 None Sleep attack
Evil Bishop (chess) 300 33 36 47 37 25 5 Power Stick Heal 3, Blast 2
Evil Bishop 640 64 51 95 48 46 5 Great Rod Aura 2, Blast 3
Evil Cloud 170 22 0 30 18 17 5 None None
Executioner 620 64 0 94 46 45 6 Battle Sword Muddle attack
Galam Archer 60 15 0 15 10 10 5 Wooden Arrow None
Galam Knight 80 16 0 17 11 12 7 Short Spear None
Galam Mage 90 14 5 15 9 11 5 Short Rod Blaze 1
Galam Soldier 50 11 0 15 10 8 6 Short Axe None
Gargoyle 250 29 0 38 23 21 6 None None
Geshp 1600 ??
(180) ?? ?? 51 63 6 Flail Freeze 4
Gizmo 60 5 0 8 5 5 5 None None
Goblin 100 18 0 22 13 13 5 Short Axe None
Golem 240 24 0 35 24 19 4 None None
Green Ooze 90 17 0 22 12 12 4 None None
Griffin 560 60 0 96 45 48 7 None None
Harpy 340 32 10 48 38 29 7 None Dispel, Poison
Harpy Queen 510 53 20 81 39 43 7 None Freeze 2
Hell Hound 570 62 0 ?? 49 50 6 None Breathes fire
High Priest 280 30 29 40 31 23 5 Power Stick Heal 3, Blast 2
Hobgoblin 160 21 0 25 19 19 5 Middle Axe None
Horseman 880 67 0 ?? 57 55 7 Buster Shot None
Huge Bat 30 11 0 15 8 6 6 None Sleep attack
Huge Rat 20 10 0 12 8 7 6 None None
Hunter Goblin 90 24 0 22 12 14 5 Iron Arrow None
Hydra 750 70 0 ?? 62 50 4 None None
Jar (joins) -- 59 0 74 44 46 7 Chrome Lance None
King 500 55 28 55 40 33 6 Flail Blaze 2
King Galam 3500 ??
(240) ?? ?? 50 62 6 Demon rod None
Knight 340 48 0 51 34 29 7 Power Spear None
Kraken Arm 240 30 0 42 28 22 6 None None
Kraken Head 320 35 0 50 29 25 5 None Blows Bubbles!
Kraken Leg 200 24 0 38 26 19 6 None Poison
Lesser Demon 360 40 21 61 37 32 6 None Blaze 3, Boost 2
Lizardman 430 40 0 67 45 38 6 Large Axe None
Master Mage 220 28 14 25 18 22 5 Iron Rod Blaze 2
Master Monk 460 47 39 66 45 31 6 Brass Knuckles Heal 4, Dispel
Minotaur 660 58 0 98 51 44 5 Atlas Axe Blaze 3
Mist Demon 590 68 28 ?? 41 51 6 None Muddle 2, Dispel attack
Mud Man 570 55 0 95 51 41 4 None None
Necromancer 520 47 42 75 44 51 6 Flail Freeze 3
Odd Eye 2000 ??
(200) ?? ?? 57 67 6 Counter Sword Sleep, Odd Eye Laser
Ooze 10 9 0 11 6 5 4 None None
Orc 330 30 0 43 37 27 5 Steel Lance None
Orc Lord 480 46 13 73 44 37 5 Heavy Lance Dispel
Pawn 250 36 0 53 37 25 6 Battle Axe None
Pegasus Knight 520 65 0 81 37 47 7 Chrome Lance None
Prism Flower 800 62 0 20 55 44 0 None Laser
Purple Worm 520 58 0 97 46 43 5 None Poison
Pyrohydra 1100 80 0 ?? 53 55 4 None None
Queen 390 30 26 46 36 35 6 Power Stick Freeze 2
Rat 300 41 0 56 32 30 6 None None
Reaper 930 82 31 ?? 49 57 6 Battle Sword Muddle 2, Dispel attack
Red Baron 1200 ??
(150) 0 ?? 64 62 6 Dark Sword Desoul
Rook 320 40 0 48 31 27 4 Robin Arrow None
Shaman 540 56 46 82 42 40 5 Wish Staff Aura 2, Blast 3, Steals MP
Skeleton 350 30 0 54 40 30 6 Broad Sword Poison
Soulsower 300 27 0 43 32 25 4 None Paralyse
Taros 450 49 0 43 32 23 0 Taros Sword Bolt
Vampire Bat 120 20 8 26 16 16 6 None Blaze 2, Poison
White Dragon 720 66 0 ?? 50 53 6 None Breathes ice
Willard 550 50 0 62 36 37 6 None None
Witch 110 21 10 19 12 16 6 Bronze Rod Freeze 1
Wizard 430 37 37 59 40 44 5 Flail Blaze 3
Worm 440 45 0 75 40 34 5 None Poison
Wyvern 450 46 0 72 39 36 7 None Poison, Breathes Fire
Zalbard 700 80 65 91 50 52 5 None Bolt 2
Zeon 0 ??
(500) ?? ?? 50 72 0 None Demon Breath
Zeon Guard 1300 ??
(130) ?? ?? 54 64 5 None Laser
Zombie 180 27 0 32 20 18 5 None Poisons

-Chinatown

Anonymous (April 6, 2005)

I'm glad someone else saw the Taste of Chaos tree in there too.

I got this CD the other day, listened to it briefly, and usually at the top of the show we'll play the new stuff...

Not the case. Yuck. And what's worse is I remember liking their first album.

Anonymous (April 6, 2005)

I given this album about 15 spins hoping it will grow on me. It didn't. This album blows.

Great review Brian.

Anonymous (April 6, 2005)

i saw this band open for someone in '02 or '03. that was the worst musical experience of my life. my goodness they blow. maybe if they didn't have a singer they wouuld have been less annoying and i would just ignore them instead of going out of my way to say that they suck.

Anonymous (April 6, 2005)

I was a really big fan of A Static Lullaby when they were playing music from And don't forget to breath but the new CD is very disappoiting. I remember the good days when Joe actually was in most of the songs. The vocals suck now and are way to popy and i regret to say i still own a shirt with their name on it. I will continue to play and don't forget to breath for myself and faso latido will be used to put my little brother to sleep.

sickboi (April 6, 2005)

Markie, yeah, that was the Richmond show. The crowd had a pretty fucking blah-zay attitude towards the Arms.

Anonymous (April 6, 2005)

WORST live band EVER!

Anonymous (April 6, 2005)

fuck. score didnt register. see previous comment.

Anonymous (April 6, 2005)

this score is for the guy who keeps posting the NUFAN advertisement in every thread.

Anonymous (April 5, 2005)

i found their last cd to be a pretty rocking guilty pleasure. this is just shit.

Anonymous (April 5, 2005)

my mom taking a shit is better sounding then this fucking joke. This band blows.

Anonymous (April 5, 2005)

No.

Just...NOOOOOO!

Anonymous (April 5, 2005)

Fuck this fucking band.

I'd rather stick my public hair in a pencil sharpener than listen to this fucking shit ever again.

Anonymous (April 5, 2005)

No Use For A Name 's new album, Keep Them Confused, comes out on June 18th. It will contain 13 dark, aggressive new songs (two of which were originally written in the Making Friends era). Prepare to be rocked.

moneenerd (April 5, 2005)

Motherfuck these guys. I've heard and even kinda like some lame emo/screamo bands out there, but this group takes the cake for "most cheesiest" and "milking the screamo look to the next level".

MarkieStabone (April 5, 2005)

sickboi, did you see this shit in richmond? remember the screamy guy pulled his back or something and had to stand still? too bad they didn't just give up and give the arms a second set instead.

inagreendase (April 5, 2005)

...Fuck you brian.

It's not like I've been hiding it; I've had those live reviews under my name forever now. The band is dead to me, anyway.

Inspection12e (April 5, 2005)

I'm glad I didn't buy this cd.

sweetsugarpezz (April 5, 2005)

below me: rip it in windows media or something. or kill yourself. youre welcome!

weak weak weak band.

Anonymous (April 5, 2005)

so i have this cd and im trying to put it on my ipod but it has some protective thing where the cd wont work if i have itunes open anyone know how to beat this security?

Anonymous (April 5, 2005)

I stopped reading after the first 2 sentences. Regardless of the score. Fuck you brian.

Kenjamin (April 5, 2005)

I too saw them open for Hot Water Music but in my case, half of the people in the audience were there to see A Static lullaby and after they played, they left! This band was never good.

sickboi (April 5, 2005)

To the guy below.....I hear you.

Anonymous (April 5, 2005)

I remember seeing these guys open for Hot Water Music. I'm not really sure why they were on the tour. Lawrence Arms played BEFORE a Static Lullaby, which is damn dirty shame. Anyways, when these guys played everybody just stood there watching them, not one person moved the entire time. At the end of their set the "screamer" said "I don't know whats wrong, I'm doing the screamy thing.". They looked like idiots, I enjoyed it very much. Anywho, what does the "screamer" guy do if they don't really use him that much?

Anonymous (April 5, 2005)

this band was ALWAYS bad. their first album was bland, copycat sing/scream bullshit, and this is bland, copycat radio rock.

Anonymous (April 5, 2005)

stealing big fish

swingline (April 5, 2005)

their cover art is quite nice. if only they became inspired by the cover art then maybe they could make some mediocre to bad music instead of this shitstorm.

Anonymous (April 5, 2005)

Stealing from the Taste of Chaos tree! Bastards!