Filter - Short Bus (11 tracks) +Album Reviews +Used CD available for Swap

A Classic Industrial Album

Zero | Pennsylvania | 09/20/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"In my mind, Filter has always run about 50/50. Half their songs are real good industrial rockers ("Hey Man Nice Shot" for example) and the other half are 'just ok' at best. The debut album is no exception, but that doesn't stop it from being a great album for industrial fans.The best song on the album is, of course, Hey Man Nice Shot. Part of what makes it great is the contrast between the slow, quiet verses and the roaring, sonic-assault choruses. The album is eight years old and I still hear that song played in the background of movie commercials (even more often than Marilyn Manson's "The Beautiful People"). Other great tracks to check out are Under and Gerbil. The rest of the album ranges anywhere from 'just ok' to 'pretty good', but all-in-all makes for a good listen.On a side note, I somewhat resent Amazon.com's review, which implies Filter is just a rip-off of Nine Inch Nails. As a huge Nails fan, I can tell you Filter does not sound that similar. Trent Reznor neither produced nor contributed to this album in any way. If Filter's sound is somewhat similar, it's because it is, after all, an industrial band, not to mention that Richard Patrick was a member of Nine Inch Nails at one time. Every industrial band has, at one time or another, been accused of being a NIN rip-off, which is entirely unfair. Nine Inch Nails popularized the genre, but does not encompass it. Lead singer Richard Patrick's voice does not sound that much like Trent Reznors; Richard's voice is much higher. I also think Nine Inch Nails is much closer to being what I'd call 'pure industrial', while Filter leans more towards industrial rock. If anything, Filter has much more in common with band like Stabbing Westward and Gravity Kills than Nine Inch Nails.Getting back on topic, I you do enjoy bands like Nine Inch Nails or Stabbing Westward, Filter is definitely worth a shot."

Excellent Debut

mcdonaldben | Glasgow, Scotland | 07/21/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Filter's 1995 debut album, Short Bus, is a fine example of industrial rock (although Richard Patrick doesn't like the term) at its best. I find the criticism Rich has received regarding Filter's similarities to Nine Inch Nails to be absurd. I am a fan of both Filter and NIN and they are both very different. Trent Reznor relies heavily on electrical methods (which I do not condone at all), whereas Rich's music is a lot more rock-based. "Hey Man Nice Shot" is the song that stands out after the first listen (partly due to the fact that its the first track), but repeated indulgence reveals the raw skills of Patrick and Brian Liesegang (the other main musical contributor to the album). The gritty music and Patrick's often lazy vocals add to the album's edge, the former being highlighted in "Under" and the latter in "Stuck In Here" and "So Cool". A must-buy for people with ears."

NIN fans take notice

Chris Nielsen | FL | 07/09/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Rating: A-

While perhaps Richard Patricks biggest mistake was leaving Nine Inch Nails a couple of years before the release of The Downward Spiral, the advantage for us the listening public is that we got this abrasive mixture of angst and intensity, headlined by the now famous Hey Man Nice Shot. With the first song on the album being the only prominent track from this album that got continuous airplay, which Filter would end up succeding with once again with the ever so catchy (but overplayed) Take My picture, it is for those of you out there that bought Title of Record strictly for that tune alone to do yourself a favor and see how Filter got started, with Short Bus. By no means is it one of the best albums of all time, but it is more a type of portrait of the changing industrial scene which NIN's toppled over with the Downward Spiral, setting huge sales for the band and capitalizing from the hit closer. It is here on Short Bus that we find Richard Patrick, and Brian Liesang, struggling and succeeding thruogh each track by their mixture of live instruments, combined with the manipilation of computers. For those that ever doubted the success of the electronic music medium, look too bands like Radiohead, and OK Computer for a good example of computer manipulated music done right, and to perfection. However back to this album, as songs like Dose, Stuck in Here, It's Over and (my favorite) Consider This have the combined intensity and slower moments that drive this album successfully into your head, inviting you back for more after your first listen. A great album that should really be wher any Filter fan should start off with."

A MUST-HAVE

mcdonaldben | 11/21/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one solid piece of music. The former NIN guitarist can do a lot on his own. SHORT BUS is better than Filter's second release, TITLE OF RECORD. Their hit, "Hey Man Nice Shot" is one of the best industrial songs ever written (Did anyone else notice that Godsmack stole the bass line from that song to create their hit "Keep Away"?). If you like industrial music (NIN, Ministry, KMFDM), you have no choice but to buy this cd."

A Promising Debut...

M. Jarrett | New England, USA | 07/30/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Filter brought out the animal in them with SHORT BUS, one mighty, meaty album that showcases the pure talents of Richard Patrick and Brian Liesegang. The album brought them out of the underground and into the spotlight, and brought them some great success.The album kicks off with the lead single and full-throttle rocker, "Hey Man Nice Shot", one of the most addictive songs Filter made early on. It stands as one of my top five favorite Filter songs. SHORT BUS keeps going with the cynicism of "Dose" with it's pounding guitars, and other tracks like "White Like That", "Take Another", and the charging "Under" rock with ferocity. One pleasant surprise on the disc, the refreshing "Stuck In Here", turns down the intensity and refreshes us with a bit of the light side of Filter.SHORT BUS is a wonderful debut from Filter. While there are absolutely no duds on this album, some really need to ditch the NIN comparisons. Richard Patrick may have once been a NIN compadre, but this is his own band. Filter stands on their own, and always will. We Filter fans wouldn't want it any other way."

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