Review #3: Metric - Fantasies

Artist: Metric
Album: Fantasies (2009)
Genre: Indie rock
Length: 10 tracks / 42:36

Yes, yes, I know what you're thinking: "Trevor, you bought something like Metric?!" Yes. Yes, I did. And proud of it too. Funny thing is what I got with it (I buy my CDs 2 at a time almost always; occasionally 3, very rarely 1), but that's a story for another time. Point is is that this is one of two CDs in my collection that feature a band with a female vocalist, the only one with a genre lighter than prog. rock, and one of many CDs by a Canadian artist I own. So, without further ado, the review.

This is a very calm, very relaxing album, but the other side of the scale has it being a very catchy, upbeat album. The complimenting, however, is off. Same goes for the first half of the album, compared to the second half. While Gimme Sympathy may be the second half's saving grace, it's just no where near the power of the first half, Gimme Sympathy subtracted. This is album is good for what is wants to accomplish: An indie sound that lets the music define itself. No two track is alike and that I give points to Metric for. Although a few more Gimme Symapthy's and Sick Muse's wouldn't be too bad.


Now for my inner two cents. The songs I like, are EXCELLENT, but that's me. The songs I dislike, I dislike heavily. This poses both a good side and bad. It's an album I'll put on, but only for the few songs. Everything else would get skipped without a second glance. While I love the fact I enjoy the songs as much as I do, I'd much rather have an album that has songs I like, but can listen to all the way without skipping anything.. although this will kind of sound hypocritical as the one album I already reviewed like that scored lower...

TREVOR'S FAVOURITE SONG: Gimme Sympathy
Now this should come as no surprise as I've only mentioned this song 3 other times in this post. Gimme Sympathy is just... amazing, in my opinion. I have no other way to describe it. The song starts off normally, with a soft synthesizer that evolves into simple bass kick and guitar behind the vocalizing from Emily Haines. Before long, the drums enter a basic pattern, and the guitar continues. Cue the chrous, and same old, with a synth added in. But it's this recipe together, mixed with the vocals, and there's something there that I can't describe in any other way except for this: magical. Also, for future reference, I dislike both The Beatles and The Rolling Stones (I like 2 Beatles songs, and 1 by the Stones), so I'd pick neither.

RECOMMENDED SONGS:
Help, I'm Alive [Track 1]
Sick Muse [Track 2]
Gimme Sympathy [Track 6]
*Borderline recommendation(s)*
Satellite Mind [Track 3]

Final grade: 7.9/10 | B-
The songs that are good are what give this a much higher grade. What prevents it from breaking into the realm of 8 is the songs that aren't up to par. There is a major border between the two, but I'm ever an optimist so the good always wins out.