Marilyn Manson - The High End of Low

[Siji]

I had a big negative review typed up but I changed my mind. Instead, I'm going to just say "I don't get it."

iTunes review says, "It's the most raw and aggressive Marilyn Manson has sounded in years."

Seriously. I don't get it. Acoustic Manson is the most raw aggressive music he's had in years? Now granted, I'm more a fan of Golden Age of Grotesque and Mechanical Animals. I hated Eat Me, Drink Me as well, but really thought GAG was fucking brilliant and was great all the way through. So maybe I'm not a 'real' MM fan. But if I had to write a review it would be more along the lines of "This is what a rock star sounds like when they've hit the bottom of the creative well and/or are either so out of ideas or so coked out that they just don't care anymore." Having Twiggy back doesn't make this automatically good. Again, I don't give two shits about what's special about the making of a CD or a new direction tried if I can't stand to listen to it.


Seriously.. someone needs to release some new material that isn't pure crap.

[Gzette]

I haven't liked a thing since Portrait of an American Family. But I think I was in 8th grade when that came out. Don't really dig that schtick anymore.

[Aslanna]

I had a big negative review typed up but I changed my mind. Instead, I'm going to just say "I don't get it."

I've pretty much been saying the same thing ever since he's been around. Never found him or the music interesting.

[Siji]

There are times when you're feeling aggressive and something like Beautiful People or (S)aint comes on and it's just right. His music is mood music. His new music is not, imo!

[Fairweather Pure]

It's not that good, but it's better than his last one by a long shot. That one was unlistenable. I've liked everything he has done up until then, but consider anti-christ superstar his masterpiece. All of this has led me to the conclusion that he needs to stay single, on drugs, and not get too happy in order to make great music. I like the Rusted Horses song off this album, but nothing else was very notable one way or the other.

I also think the whole shock rocker persona is past it's time. After the last 2 albums, if he decided to retire from music I wouldn't miss him.

[Sueven]

I agree, I think he's done some cool shit before, but I'm kind of sick of him at this point. He's an interesting dude and I'd like to see him try out something else. Problem is he doesn't actually have much musical talent-- no instruments, shitty singing voice. He succeeds musically via good songwriting, but he's not like the kind of guy who could transition to an acoustic singer-songwriter style or anything like that.

Maybe he should start writing. Be a newspaper columnist or something. I'd read it.

[Fairweather Pure]

I agree, I think he's done some cool shit before, but I'm kind of sick of him at this point. He's an interesting dude and I'd like to see him try out something else. Problem is he doesn't actually have much musical talent-- no instruments, shitty singing voice. He succeeds musically via good songwriting, but he's not like the kind of guy who could transition to an acoustic singer-songwriter style or anything like that.

Maybe he should start writing. Be a newspaper columnist or something. I'd read it.

I know he paints and does other artisitic stuff like that. Everything has his weird "taint" on it. I would be interested in any career he went into after music because I do find him to be a very interesting individual who is well spoken.

[Siji]

I'd just like to know what's wrong with the music industry as a whole right now.. I mean, there's nothing of quality being released by normally tried and true artists/groups. I've got hope for Linkin Park's new stuff (haven't listened to it yet) but Metallica, GNR, Manson, Eminem, Tori Amos.. all their new stuff just sucks balls. It's getting hard convincing people how great some of these bands were.

[miir]

I'd just like to know what's wrong with the music industry as a whole right now

Nothing is wrong.. just because a few artists that you happen to like have released 'sub-par' albums does not reflect on 'the music industry as a whole'.

2008/2009 have been fucking fantastic for music that I personally like.
I literally have way too much quality music to listen to right now.

[Funkmasterr]

I'd just like to know what's wrong with the music industry as a whole right now

Nothing is wrong.. just because a few artists that you happen to like have released 'sub-par' albums does not reflect on 'the music industry as a whole'.

2008/2009 have been fucking fantastic for music that I personally like.
I literally have way too much quality music to listen to right now.

Well, not all (or many of us even) listen to the music you listen to. Don't you listen to Electronica type music mainly? For more mainstream music I would agree with Siji. Hell, I don't even pay for music anymore and I'm hard pressed to find something I want to spend the 30 seconds downloading.

[Aabidano]

I'd just like to know what's wrong with the music industry as a whole right now.. I mean, there's nothing of quality being released by normally tried and true artists/groups. I've got hope for Linkin Park's new stuff (haven't listened to it yet) but Metallica, GNR, Manson, Eminem, Tori Amos..

Something "new" from the commercialized folks who're just shilling for another $1 from the corporate teat? Don't expect much. Sold out, burned out and\or totally commercialized.

Lots of good stuff still coming out on the fringes.

I've been listening to Scott Biram lately, odd gospel revival\blues\punk\thrash mix. Not all in one song, but he can fit it in the same show\album and make it work.

[Spang]

For more mainstream music I would agree with Siji.

Mainstream music isn't designed to be good. It's designed to make a lot of money. If you want to listen to good music, you need to step away from the mainstream.

[Sueven]

I always thought that was an unfair generalization. There's some mainstream music that is quite good, even by obnoxious indy hipster standards. Radiohead, for instance. And you can claim that Radiohead isn't 'mainstream' as much as you like; they still headline festivals, sell out huge tours, and sell millions of records. They're mainstream. That's not to say that all mainstream music is good, but some of it is.

And it's certainly true that there's some brilliant music outside the mainstream, but there's also loads of complete trash. Is the ratio of good:bad better or worse if you're in or out of the mainstream? I have no idea, but I suspect it's not drastically different.

[Funkmasterr]

I apologize, I used the wrong word for what I was getting at in my post. What I meant to say was that most people probably listen to more popular genres of music like Rock, Rap, Country, etc. whether mainstream artists or not.

[Spang]

I always thought that was an unfair generalization. There's some mainstream music that is quite good, even by obnoxious indy hipster standards. Radiohead, for instance. And you can claim that Radiohead isn't 'mainstream' as much as you like; they still headline festivals, sell out huge tours, and sell millions of records. They're mainstream. That's not to say that all mainstream music is good, but some of it is.

And it's certainly true that there's some brilliant music outside the mainstream, but there's also loads of complete trash. Is the ratio of good:bad better or worse if you're in or out of the mainstream? I have no idea, but I suspect it's not drastically different.

You're right. I should have written it as such:

Mainstream music isn't designed to be good. It's designed to make a lot of money. If you want to listen to good music, you may need to step away from the mainstream.

[Sueven]

Also, Siji, I think one of your problems may be that half those bands you listed are from the 1980s. I'm not surprised that Metallica hasn't put out anything good lately; they haven't put out anything good in like 15 years. Very few bands can produce relevant and original and brilliant music over such a long period of time. You might have to experiment with newer stuff.

[Gzette]

Dude Deth Magnetic is an awesome album. You heard it right? I was generally a Metallica hater leading up to that album after the hole Load, Re-Load fiasco.

[Aslanna]

I didn't think it was all that. They were trying too hard. Didn't really work for me.