updateghost's Full Review: Audio by Blue Man Group
Blue Man Group has interested me right from that first Intel commercial- I can't remember which one it was, since they have had quite a few, but it definitely interested me, and when I saw this album on sale at Wal-Mart for ten bucks, I figured I might as well buy it.
Let's see, I was about thirteen when I bought this album... and I'm 15 now. My intelligence about it has improved greatly. Here's some things I've learned about the Blue Man Group since then-
1. Every instrument that they explain in the album's manual isn't used half as much as you wish it was, and in some instances, its rarely used at all. The guitar and bass are the real main components of this album- everything else is the rhythm.
2. The Blue Man Group actually plays very little of what you hear. Trust me, I've seen these guys in concert.
3. They kick @$$ in concert.
Yeah, I think that's enough to say I know a little more about BMG than some people. Yeah.
Ah, the instruments... I'll let you know, these are a lot cooler, maybe even more interesting than a lot of the songs on this album- I'm not saying the songs are bad, in fact, they're great, but the instruments are endlessly interesting. Let me tell you the list-
1. Air Poles Fiberglass rods that the Blue Men swish in many different ways. If they hold it at the center, it creates a faster sound. Holding them at the end and swishing creates a slower sound, since they're hard to weave that way. Then wishing them through the air and holding the end creates a "syncopated rhythm." They're not used much in the album, but when they are, you can tell.
2. The PVC Instrument I'm sure you all know what PVC tubes are. They're those tubes. Made out of PVC. Yeah. And you can use them for piping and stuff. We even have a few in the comforts of our own home.
Well, the Blue Men have made a little instrument out of those PVC tubes, with a high-octave, mid-octave, and low-octave section- you know how the longer a tube is, the lower the sound will be? I guess the same applies here. And they use little paddles to make them work, creating a cool sound. I've seen them in action. Cool. Yeah.
3. Tubulum Also made out of PVC tubes, this instrument is hit with sticks and adds more bass to the sound of the songs. There's also a backpack version which launches rockets... or something like that. I don't get these guys.
4. Drumdone More PVC tubing that I've seen in action. One guy holds the end, another holds the end and pulls on it to change the notes, and the other guy hits it to create the notes. Cool stuff.
5. Cimbalom Some ancient stringed instrument from Hungary, and its an antique, so its really f@#$ing expensive, as you'd probably guess, itself being from Hungary. Being hit with drum sticks instead of the traditional mallets, it has an "edgy" sound.
6. The Big Instrument With Three Different Instruments, Two of Which are Never Used Yeah, this big thing has a Shaker Gong, a Gyro Shot and Gary Strips. The Shaker Gong is some flat thing that makes a rattlesnake-type sound (you know what I mean). The Gyro Shot is never used, and has a bad sound. The Gary Strips are also never used, but have a good sound. "Gary Strips sound pretty good, but they did not end up on the recording. No one knows why." -The BMG Manual
7. Big Drum "The Big Drum is a really big drum that is hit with a really big mallet." This thing appears in a lot of tracks, but its must not be THAT big, because I never hear it. And it most certainly didn't make an appearance at the concert.
8. The Drum Wall A wall with three drums sets. And as Austin Powers would say, "That's about it."
Oh yeah, THE SONGS. Man, do they kick some @$$. We have everything in here- songs as slow as Weezer's Butterfly, songs as moderato as Audioslave's Cochise, or songs as fast as SOAD's CUBErt.
And then they got those weird names- Opening Mandelbrot- while that is a great, alive song, the name is just weird, you know? Then there's Club Nowhere- slow, mellow, and cool- but, once more, the name is just weird.
Wow, I wish there was really more to say about these songs- but really, they're all the same thing. I can't make a lyric analysis. I can't say "the bassist/drummer/guitarist/vocalist is great" because they all play the same instruments. F*CK! COULDN'T YOU JUST HAVE PUT ONE WORD INTO THIS ALBUM? ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT THE SONGS ARE COOL AND GREAT, AND THAT'S THE SAME THING ABOUT EVERY SINGLE SONG.
Oh well. This is a nice album. You should buy it.
And this is a bad review. Don't do drugs, kids. They are bad.
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