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Dear Superstar - Heartless review



Reviewer:
5.8
Band: Dear Superstar
Album: Heartless
Release date: 2008


01. Brink Of Destruction
02. Brothers In Blood
03. Live Love Lie
04. Signposts to Bedposts
05. Anytime Anyplace
06. Raised Voices And Confrontations
07. Rock Bottom
08. Hollywood Whore
09. Diseased And Distraught
10. Cant Write A Love Song

With a band name like Dear Superstar I was quite sure that "Heartless" was a new album made for emo kids. You know what? I wasn't wrong but yes I know the guess was easy. The world of music is really funny especially if you have a look at the trends. Some years ago female fronted bands were trendy, later it was Metalcore then emo Gothic stuff and finally everybody tries to come back to Glam (with of course a good dose of "Emo" business in the music). Dear Superstar plays in the last category and if I cannot say that the album is badly interpreted I cannot find anything special in this release and I will let you know why.

"Heartless" is a real living clichés. If you're a bit open-minded and don't live in a cave you've probably already seen all the Emo bands which try to play Metal and Hard Rock so I won't give any names because I'm sure that you know them and know what kind of music they play. Dear Superstar is a weeding between Glam Rock and Metalcore a la Emo sauce. If you know Avenged Sevenfold and believe me when I say that they've mixed their music with Mötley Crüe you already know of what I'm talking about? "Heartless" is just full of hyper commercial catchy choruses with this really irritating (at least for me) emo voice in addition of Metaclore riffs and Glam guitars soli? The mix can sounds a bit strange but let's be honest it works and will be attractive for a lot of people who are into such kind of music. I'm not a crusader who wants to exterminate all those bands and their fans, really that's their business and not mine but I won't say that it's good to say that it's good, this is just trendy as hell and damn even if I can conceded that some bands are not so terrible I don't see where is the interest to do and play something that we've already heard 100000? other times. "Heartless" doesn't give anything new and that's sad?

As you can guess the production of the album is perfect and Dear Superstar was probably reviewed by all the "big" Rock and Metal magazines? Yes life is cool for this new band and everybody is happy! They don't really need anymore help the music business is here to help them so I won't say anything else and let you see if you can stand their music or not. The musicians are not so bad at least and the music is well interpreted but this is boring and linear in the end.

If you're into emo music, "Heartless" is a must for you. There is nothing new but all the ingredients that you want to see are present in this release. This is just not for me and I'm probably not really objective through this review but I tried to listen to the album and no I just can't. Recommended to all the people who are into the emo trend but if you want something deeper, buy something else or do some speleology.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 7
Songwriting: 6
Originality: 4
Production: 8

Written by Jeff | 13.10.2008




Comments

Comments: 1   Visited by: 78 users
14.10.2008 - 05:06
Doc G.
Full Grown Hoser
Getting into a lot of Neo-Glam Jeff? I've noticed this is like the 3rd review (that I've noticed) you've written for a neo-glam (a term I thought of all by myself!) rock band. The amount of wannabe 80s bands that are coming out these days is sickening, this coming from a guy who loved glam rock (I say "loved" because this whole trend and avalanche of generic bands kind of killed it for me). First of all, that name is just a blatant knock-off of Hardcore Superstar, whom this band will probably never live up to in their wildest dreams, secondly, sounding like Avenged Sevenfold? Pass!

And to you Jeff - If this series of reviews is you trying to dig through a pile of shit to find a decent new age glam rock band, I still highly recommend Hardcore Superstars "Dreamin' In A Casket", Crashdiets "Rest In Sleaze", or believe it or not (but you may or may not have listened to it already) The 69 Eyes "Angels", far less gothic than their older albums. While Crashdiet is not too original they have fantastic song writing. Hardcore Superstar used to have the curse of using generic recycled riffs, but with "Dreamin' In A Casket" they managed to come up with some very unique guitar work you wouldnt find in a glam rock band (the title track would fit perfectly on any White Zombie album guitar-wise).

On another note, I seemed to have caught on - and gotten over, this whole new glam fad before everyone else, picked out a few good bands, and then left it behind. I'm glad theres someone who isn't blown away by novelty (unlike many magazines). I'll be watching for when you post a review for a good new-glam rock band, and give it a 7+ rating, then I'll know its something worth my time.....wow, long post.
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"I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck."
- George Carlin
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