Audio CD review:
Embrace - Embrace

Embrace - Embrace

Band: Embrace Title: Embrace Rating: Release Date: 27 September, 1994 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Give Me Back 2: Dance Of Days 3: Building 4: Past 5: Spoke 6: Do Not Consider Yourself Free 7: No More Pain 8: I Wish I 9: Said Gun 10: Can't Forgive 11: Money 12: If I Never Thought About It 13: End Of A Year 14: Last Song

Customer Reviews 4 and a half stars Who are the other ten? Hmmm, let's see. This album features the awesome and powerful vocals of Ian MacKaye, one of the 11 greatest punk "singers" of all time. . . . Johnny Rotten (Sex Pistols), Joey Ramone (Ramones), Joe Strummer (Clash), Pete Shelley (Buzzcocks), Patti Smith, Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys), Glenn Danzig (Misfits), Henry Rollins (Black Flag), Milo Aukerman (Descendents), H. R. (Bad Brains). After leaving the legendary hardcore band Minor Threat, and before forming legendary emo band Fugazi, MacKaye released this fantastic album as part of the short-lived band Embrace. If you've ever heard Ian sing, and you like what you heard, then chances are you will love this album. It's one of the finest emo records ever, recorded at the very dawn of that much-maligned genre. In the end, it's punk, but a musically and emotionally evolved punk. The music is hard-charging, but not boring, simplistic or monolithic. And Ian outdoes himself from start to finish, singing with a bracing passion that has very few rivals in the annals of recorded music. Here's a quote that sums it up: "Ian takes a collection of good-to-great (not to mention surprisingly diverse and dynamic) 2-minute songs and makes them SOAR into the heavens of arm-stretching Godliness. " - Mark Prindle It's a crime that this album is not better-known to fans of rock and punk. Forgive Me All aspects of the record (vocally, musically, lyrically, and production wise) are sub-par. Embrace, though arguably the first "emo" record as others have pointed out, is simply anoying. Ian Mackaye, though boasting places in two stellar bands (the now legendary Minor Threat and Fugazi, the latter my personal preference), does a horendous job handling the vocal patterns and lyrics on the album. Songs like "Money" and "Do Not Consider Yourself Free" read like scrapped Minor Threat lyrics far too pointless to be used, basic, (even then) cliched, pseudo-political rants (against greed, government, etc. ). Also, Mackaye's voice does not suit the music at all, his monotone yell just sits there, not even melding with the music. He can't be called "off-key" simply because he does not even attempt to make any sort of recognizable notes. Musically, it is typical post-hardcore / muzak fare. Lame guitar riffs and repetitive drum lines (save for a few choice moments in which the music can be mildly enjoyable, and even catchy to some extent). Fans who think Ian Mackaye can do no wrong would do well to pick this album up, same goes for collectors and completists, but for listeners of music, stay away from this album. 3. 5 / 10. Not bad.....not bad at all Perhaps it is because the lyrics of Embrace deal more with social issues (greed, caring for one another etc) and Rites of Springs are much more on a 'personal'level that makes the difference. Strange, I always liked Embrace more than Rites of Spring despite all the talk of 'emo' music originating from these 2 bands the lyrics of Embrace just seemed to have a deeper meaning. The music is also a lot slower than Rites of Spring and in some ways heavier. Ian's vocals can become anoying after a while as his style of singing (if you can call it that) doesn't realy fit with the melodic style of Embrace. I first heard Embrace many moons ago (over 15 years ago to be exact) and the fact that this CD compiles all of what Embrace released is a real bonus. It's difficult to describe the music of Embrace but if you have listened to Dag Nasty, Rites of Spring or Jawbox then you know what you are getting. Think those bands with Ian Mac Kaye on vocals. . . You can see a complete list of all Embrace discography, or go back to the Embrace tabs