Search - Archers of Loaf :: White Trash Heroes

One of the best rock albums of all time.

Trampas Ferree | Bowie, MD United States | 08/01/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It is sad when a band that is brave enough to try new and imaginative things with each consecutive album breaks up. In A.O.L.'s case, the increase of creativity made each album better than the last. In a way, it's kinda good they broke up after this album because I can't imagine them doing better than this (but I also said the same thing after I first heard "All the Nations Airports").But where ATNA is sometimes demanding on the listener, WTH's songs are splended on the first listen with well done vocal hooks (with the exception of the fantastic "Banging On a Dead Drum", which is reminiscent of Tom Waits' later work with distorted vocals that pretty much have no melody at all.)I can name a zillion things I love about this album - the oddly timed bassline in "Dead Read Eyes", the lyrics in "One Slight Wrong Move", the full range sonic pleasure of "Fashion Bleeds", ad nauseum. But those would be nothing compared to how I feel about the title track.The song "White Trash Heroes" shows a maturity of song writing, lyrics, and musicianship that is so rarely missing from modern popular music. To borrow a line from Kids in the Hall: "I wish that song was a day long...What a day that would be.". It's just so damn beautiful and tragic, much like the entire musical career of Archers of Loaf."

Hypnotic

C. Costello | Steeler Country | 04/02/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"You can't go wrong purchasing any Archers of Loaf album. There's a depth to the recording that encourages me to listen to it again and again. Archers of Loaf didn't reproduce an "Icky Mettle" sound on release after release. How bored would I be? How sucky would that be? If I want to rock out, I listen to "Icky Mettle" or "Vee Vee" or "The Speed of Cattle". With bands like that, you only NEED to buy one album for your collection. This isn't AC/DC or Jackyl. I suggest you buy ALL the Archers of Loaf albums. NO, I INSIST!!! That's what makes this band great. You will like them ALL. Don't overthink this, just buy them and listen to them. You don't need to RANK them."

AOL strike gold again

hamilcar barca | nowheres in particular | 06/13/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The final studio release from the Archers of Loaf expands on the experimental nature of their previous release, All the Nations Airports. This one features synthesizers and samplers very prominently, as well as a huge amount of tape loops and strange vocal and instrument effects. The first two songs are absolutely stunning. The 2nd "Dead Red Eyes" features a very soothing Casio-like keyboard line and Bachamnn's vocals for the first half, and then explodes with drums and bass in the last half. The real shining moment on this one is the title track, which is a 7 minute long guitar, tape loop and synthesizer epic of sheer beauty. The only song onthis one that I don't like all that much is "Slick Trick and Bright Lights". Bachmann's voice sounds like Adam Sandler on this song, and it is very unenergetic.
Although this is probably my least favorite studio album by AOL, I still give it 5 stars and recommend it highly."