Search - Shinedown :: Us & Them (Spkg)

Avoid the deluxe edition!!

J. Tingle | far away from mobile homes full of toothless loser | 10/05/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I specifically shelled out $23 to get all the "extras" touted on the Shinedown website... what a load of crap!



The $13 extra dollars bought me three additional tracks on the CD, a poster and some stickers (oh... wheee!!!). The website is pathetic. It's the only place you can get new pix of the band (or even old ones), and yet all you get is a couple of wallpapers, mostly of the album cover...yawn!!! and one lousy pic of the band from the "Save Me" video. Apparently no one had a camera anywhere near these guys during the past year? Riiiiight....



Recap: $13 extra dollars buys you 3 songs and some useless crap. Buy the regular version and save yourself some $$$."

Just awesome!!!!!

Remi Graczyk | 10/04/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"this is an awesome record, all the tracks are great and the 3 bonus accoustic songs are great too ( there are save me, I dare you and some day ). shinedown is definitly my favorite rock band, the lyrics are greats, the sound is more mature and dark.

run buy it!!!!!!!!"

Yeah, it's good...

Andrew Estes | Maine | 02/15/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When the introduction track, "The Dream," gives way to "Heroes," this album is an instant classic for me. "Us And Them" is a perfect example of how a band should do their second album. Just as strong as before, but bigger and broader, which is exactly what Shinedown accomplish.



From Jacksonville, Florida, comes Shinedown with "Us And Them," their second release, following up the sleeper-hit "Leave A Whisper." If you haven't already caught wind of Shinedown, courtesy of hits like "45" and "Fly From The Inside," you can be sure you will hear from them soon. They take a popular sound, that of mainstream hard-rock/grunge and take it to the next level. Brent Smith's strong vocals are a huge part of the band's sound, which is heavily influenced by southern rock. Shinedown offer something for those interested in heavy music, and for those who like to chill a bit. Basically, you can't go wrong with these guys.



Not only is the production on "Us And Them" an improvement over "Leave A Whisper," but the songs themselves are much stronger and the band settles on a style that they can call their own (before they sounded kinda like a fusion of Staind and Fuel). The aformentioned "Heroes" is one of the best songs on the album and the absolute perfect opener, while there are plenty of instant hits scattered about, such as "Save Me" and "I Dare You" (which are already singles) as well as "Trade Yourself In" and the perfect album closer "Some Day."



"Us And Them" is an easy hit for Shinedown. Personally, I felt that "Leave A Whisper" opened and closed strongly, but sagged way too much in the middle. Here, Shinedown do not make any mistakes. All the songs are listenable, and are distinctive from one another. Something few bands can accomplish. If you loved the first album, prepare to be overwhelmed here, because these guys have no problem outdoing themselves. If you're down for some good, honest hard rock, you can do no wrong with this album."