Cartel - Cycles

[Chris Fallon]

Cartel - Cycles
Release Date: October 20, 2009
Record Label: Wind-Up Records

After suffering a disaster of Titanic-like proportions (the actual boat, not the movie), Cartel are hoping to recover from the self-titled backlash with Cycles, an album that proves Chroma was the initial jump, Cartel was the (imperfect) landing and Cycles is the massive bounce back. Full of shimmering pop numbers built on shiny-riffs and colossal production, Cycles is a dubious return to the power-pop that launched the band into the stratosphere. "Let's Go" shakes off all previous binds and lets the band rock their socks off before ensuring that the slump is now indeed over. While there isn't anything as riveting or as bombastic as the "Q/A" combo, Cartel prove that keeping it simple is just as wildly spirited as anything else they have achieved.

Their self-titled release does gather a little more criticism than it ultimately deserves, and for the sheer fact the band actually tested the waters of a all-together different sound is at least worth a few nods. Despite the results that ensued upon release, Pugh still proved he is one of the most talented vocalists working today, and while there's hardly any room for improvement, his charm works best when he is given songs like "Conventional Friend" or "Retrograde," two sizzling numbers that bask in aggressive melodies. The man's voice is the biggest draw for Cartel, and without his whimsy, there may not be enough to pull casual listeners in. Sure, the production does halt it at times (mostly on "Faster Ride" and "It Still Remains"), however it's the band's calling card. Like Jimmy Eat World, Cartel kicks formula around here and there, but creates a vivid portrait of what good pop-rock should always be: muscular and tight, and a playground for a vocalist (just listen to how much fun Pugh has on the verses of "Typical").

Let's not get too hasty and dismiss the other band members now - they have obviously shown that they are able to keep up with Pugh's talents, and Joseph Pepper & Nic Hudson's dual-layered guitars strengthen the literal muscle of Cartel's enthusiastic adoration for wall-of-sound pop; Jeff Lett's bass roars across the rhythm section, especially in the album's strongest numbers near the end of the record. Kevin Sanders outdid himself last time around as the all-around standout that many claimed was the savior of the record, and this time, it's no different; his drumming is persistent, steady and superior to nearly every other pop-rock percussionist out there. Cycles presents itself as a new phase in what the band hopes is a long life past that whole bubbly incident on MTV a few years back. Make no mistake that this is glossy, slickly-produced pop music through and through... but if you crave crunchy guitars that sound like Lily Aldrin chewing on Cocoa Puffs into an amplifier... here's your source material, baby.

By the time the record hits its stride around the seventh track, it makes you forget the band's few mistakes. "Faster Ride" feels like it is looking for an auto-tuned remix to come give it a touch-up, and "The Perfect Mistake" lacks a truly memorable or gratifying chorus (as does the aforementioned "Typical," which rides out its boring hook with some wicked verses). Despite the weird burp near the end of "Deep South," there's a candid charm to Pugh's serenade to his homeland, and while some lyrics come across as cheesy on "It Still Remains" or "Only You," both pack in such irresistibly tight pop melodies, it is increasingly difficult to dislodge them out of your brain. "27 Steps" and "See Me Now" are the best songs Fall Out Boy forgot to write for From Under the Cork Tree, and with every future listen, it appears that Cartel have shaken off all the critics and started anew - not just with a new label, but a new approach to maintaining that sense of urgency and delivering satisfying hooks that don't overwhelm upon first listen. Cartel may have just recorded the first pop-rock album in years that actually balances itself on sugar-intake and forgetting to overcompensate (and hallelujah, no Wyclef Jean remixes!).

As Pugh openly admits on "Retrograde," "I have no remorse, I have no shame... I'm looking for the center of this life I've found." The band sounds happier, unified as a collective whole - therapeutic even - and it shows through the lack of overachieving, which was the decline of that peach tree album. "Let me reintroduce myself," Pugh confidently addresses on the opening track. While the band may never please those who want the second-coming of Chroma, eleven tracks of what is sure to be 2009's best entry in the pop-rock genre ain't gonna do you wrong. Take that, Tom Higgenson.

Jimmy Eat World's Chase This Light; Quietdrive's When All That's Left is You; Fall Out Boy's From Under the Cork Tree; New Found Glory's Coming Home"Retrograde," "27 Steps" and "Conventional Friend"

1. Let's Go
2. The Perfect Mistake
3. Faster Ride
4. Deep South
5. Only You
6. It Still Remains
7. 27 Steps
8. See Me Now
9. Typical
10. Conventional Friend
11. RetrogradeWill Pugh - vocals/guitar/piano
Joseph Pepper - guitar
Nic Hudson - guitar
Jeff Lett - bass
Kevin Sanders - drums

Official Site (http://www.cartelrocks) | Official Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/cartel)Amazon MP3 (http://www.amazon.com/Cycles/dp/B002SK7K5I)

[Gautz]

Yet another great review Chris! Absolutely spot on...and what a bounce back it is for Cartel! :-)

[shboom.]

must get this CD today.

[zachff]

Haven't really made it past the initial track on my first few listens.

[Ill]

Might check this out. Good review.

[Keagan Ilvonen]

Awesome job Chris, it's good to have Cartel back.

[brentkid]

I was really worried I wouldn't enjoy this album but it has definitely grown on me with more listens.

[uofmhockey07]

am i one of the only ones who actually liked the s/t?

[stereokiller]

funny last line. was that an inside joke or something?

nice review, and I def see where you thought Cartel lacked with this record.

Will's vocals are ineffable too.

Cycles is an 84-88 in my book. And yup, that's just me.

[Travis Parno]

not a huge Cartel fan since The Ransom EP, but "Q/A" is one of my favorite two song combos of all time

[And Hours Pass]

am i one of the only ones who actually liked the s/t?
Nope, I did too! The only thing that annoyed me was the hidden tracks at the end of the songs. If you want to do that at the end of a record for some reason, feel free. But the way they did it was very irritating.

[Yellowcard2006]

Great job Chris. And I really like 3 out of the 4 RIYL, I think I'm gonna pick this up. Some more varied song structures would have benefited the album greatly.

[And Hours Pass]

not a huge Cartel fan since The Ransom EP, but "Q/A" is one of my favorite two song combos of all time
I could listen to that combo on repeat for days. Brilliant combo.

[ignition]

am i one of the only ones who actually liked the s/t?
I liked it, too. It took a little while to grow on me, but so did Chroma. I don't really get how everyone is thinking that this one is so much better than s/t, but I've only listened a few times so far.

[owiseone35]

Nice, How I Met Your Mother reference. I tried hard to like this record but it didn't do much for me. Accurate score in my opinion, and boy can Will sing. There are some good songs on here though , and yes what would pop-rock be without some of those cheese-ball lyrics.

[Klatzke]

Haven't really made it past the initial track on my first few listens.
Same here. Loved the self-titled but this is bland past Let's Go

[Clintoto]

No matter how hard I try, I just cannot get into this album. :-(

[zachff]

Same here. Loved the self-titled but this is bland past Let's Go
With Let's Go I thought they were setting up the CD to be like "Fuck you everyone who hated our last CD, we're back and we're going to rock Chroma style, get ready for Lucky St. part 2," but it never got there

[batmannj]

Nope. I liked it almost as much as Chroma and I'm still baffled by the intense and unrelenting hate it has received
Same here. It's not like it was a crap record, and considering the conditions they wrote/recorded the record under and how well it came out, I think that's pretty impressive.

[Klatzke]

With Let's Go I thought they were setting up the CD to be like "Fuck you everyone who hated our last CD, we're back and we're going to rock Chroma style, get ready for Lucky St. part 2," but it never got there
Exactly. It's pretty boring imo.

[xName Takenx]

am i one of the only ones who actually liked the s/t?
I loved it, I might even like it more than Cycles. It's too early to tell, but thats my initial thought.


Good review, my only thought is that there were too many references about the older material "it's NOT this, it IS this" Let the record stand on its own, make a single comparison reference and move on. Just my two cents....

[fonzie darko]

the closest this album comes to sounding even remotely like chroma is with "conventional friend."

[Jason Tate]

I thought Brent Paschke (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brent_Paschke&action=edit&redlink=1) produced it.

[Jason Tate]

Same here. It's not like it was a crap record, and considering the conditions they wrote/recorded the record under and how well it came out, I think that's pretty impressive.
You mean ... before ever going in the bubble?

[Jason Tate]

the closest this album comes to sounding even remotely like chroma is with "conventional friend."
False.

[TSLROCKS]

Love the album. Took me about 7 or 8 listens to really get into it but I'm really loving it now. I'm even starting to like Typical which I first hated on my initial listen

[amc531]

I also liked the S/T. All 3 album's are different. People need to get over the fact that they aren't going to keep on putting out the same thing all the time. It may not be as good as Chroma or the S/T for some, but I like that it's different. There may be like 1 or 2 songs on the album that I really don't like too much, but it's definitely better than some of the garbage music that is out there now. Will Pugh can actually sing!

[fonzie darko]

False.

yea my bad. "retrograde" also gives off a little Q/A vibe.

all in all, i really do love this disc.

[IamTheINDUSTRY]

lyrics 7.75?

[whenyourearound]

i would add deep south as a choice cut

[Lirr168]

Good review, captures my thoughts pretty well. I don't love this album like Chroma, but it's a solid release and will definitely be a grower.

On another note, am I the only one who thinks that "Conventional Friend" sounds a lot like "Direction"? Not saying it's a bad thing, just has a really similar sound to me.

[DanielJames]

Interesting. Your choice cuts are songs that I'm not too fond of, especially "27 Steps." It's a pretty good album, but gets boring in the middle after "Only You" and picks back up with the last two tracks. Definitely has a Chroma feel. Good review.

[Indoor Living]

I dig this CD, but for me, it doesn't touch Chroma.

[inthemidst]

not a huge Cartel fan since The Ransom EP, but "Q/A" is one of my favorite two song combos of all time
I think it has to do with the huge press Cartel received during the "Band in a Bubble" series. Everyone expected Chroma Pt. 2, and obviously it didn't turn out that way.

[inthemidst]

not a huge Cartel fan since The Ransom EP, but "Q/A" is one of my favorite two song combos of all time
Whoops! Sorry Travis, quoted the wrong thing haha!

[Kurt Retenauer]

I loved "Typical" off of this.

[musikjunky311]

great review!

[mybreakingpoint]

thanks to this review chris, i'm actually gonna give this record a listen. i was pretty certain the self-titled record would keep me away from them permanently, but i could be wrong.

[Dirge07]

am i one of the only ones who actually liked the s/t?

I still play songs from that on my iPod. Ah well good review mate :D

[KyleAtGalaxy]

i would add deep south as a choice cut

I can't listen to this song without thinking of Little Nicky.

[KyleAtGalaxy]

Nope. I liked it almost as much as Chroma and I'm still baffled by the intense and unrelenting hate it has received
Same here. Loved the s/t

[of confidence]

Why am I one of the very few who thinks Deep South is without a doubt one of the best tracks on the album?

[NateFoundGlory]

Why am I one of the very few who thinks Deep South is without a doubt one of the best tracks on the album?

That's definitely a favorite here.

I actually really like this cd. It's not perfect by any means, but it's damn good. Great review, really touched base on the flaws of it (it's nowhere near all that original...).

[Shatter_Glass]

Wind-Up huh? What was there last label??

[saveferris]

Score is way too low. I fell in love with this album at first listen.

[Liz8492]

Deep South was definitely my favorite on the album.
It sounded nothing like the other songs.
I definitely like "Ohohohoh" part.

[Color Morale]

fukin awsome cd

[Julia Conny]

I've just started playing this in my car, and I think I will now have to up the plays now. I trust your opinion.

[Travis Parno]

Whoops! Sorry Travis, quoted the wrong thing haha!
haha, no worries!

[Blake Solomon]

album starts out SO strong. but it fades. like i've listened to the first 4 songs 7 or 8 times and the rest like 2 or 3.

[Blake Solomon]

Wind up huh? What was there last label??
nope

[blindrider529]

Love the album. Not a big fan of the review (and not because of the score...it was just lackluster and wasn't as interesting as I would've hoped.). I love Will Pugh as much (or more) than the next guy, but he has not proved that "he is one of the most talented vocalists working today."

[Gregory Robson]

The RIYL is spot-on. It's a good album and I'm trying to let it grow on me. Still prefer it over the self-titled and there are times I like it more than Chroma. We'll see what happens. And another one of your better efforts, Chris. Nice work mate.

[wall e]

Did they record this in a bubble?

[kaylajo003]

Same here. It's not like it was a crap record, and considering the conditions they wrote/recorded the record under and how well it came out, I think that's pretty impressive.
very much agreed. for what was going on, there are some real solid songs that come from that album. however, this new album surpasses it and at times it's even better than Chroma for me. great, solid album, boys!

[Croggs]

I can't listen to this song without thinking of Little Nicky.
hahahhahahaha awful movie, great reference.

[Holly HoX!]

Chroma was brilliant, but I lost interest after that with all the MTV/whateverness the band fell into after that. Maybe I'll give this one a shot.

[Cheesus]

This band brings back so many good memories... I want to get this

[SpyKi]

album starts out SO strong. but it fades. like i've listened to the first 4 songs 7 or 8 times and the rest like 2 or 3.
This.

Also, the HIMYM reference made me smile.

[thedaywedied]

this is definitely no Chroma... but in the grand scheme of things, its a solid album

[racethesun]

I think people need to look at this album as just that and not a "Chroma part 2". If you keep comparing it to back to there previous material I don't think your ever going to be quite satisfied. Why should they feel they have go back to an old sound? That would be completley counterproductive and stump the bands progression. This album is good but I think they've yet to make their best.

[Yellowcard2006]

Did they record this in a bubble?
What? What are you talking about? What bubble? I'm lost.

[poppunknerd182]

This review and score is spot on.

[KennethMount]

Neal Avron only mixed one song (lets Go) your review says he produced the entire album, 2 completely different things bro.
Love faster ride, and perfect mistake

[thefoldsays]

Ha, what's with the Tom Higgenson remark? Was that because of that time they called Fallon out in an interview like 3 years ago or something? weird.

[Drew Beringer]

Deep South is the best Cartel song ever.

[geebee889]

Great review! I absolutely love this album! :-d

[sweetforever]

Faster Ride and Only You are my current favorites. I find myself listening to the first half of this album more than the second half.

Good review regardless

[Nolessthanblink]

Picked it up but haven't gotten a chance to listen to it yet. This review gets me anxious to though

[denissuxx]

It's not a bad record, I just don't feel it :shrug:

[LastDeclaration]

The s/t gets so much more shit than it deserves. I think it's equal to Chroma, at least.

[xsinkshipsx]

this is a download to test the waters and buy if I like it album for me

[UnderMyDreams]

Love this album.

[dani1292]

Listening to this album now, and it just seems to get better each time. Great review.

[starryxnights]

nice review, haven't had the time to listen to the album enough to really judge it, but i like it thus far

[Alex DiVincenzo]

Nice review. This is indeed a solid (albeit imperfect) bounce back from their sophomore slump.

[MusicTalks]

I know the actual numbers don't mean much, so I agree with this review. Although, Faster Ride and The Perfect Mistake are incredibly catchy and two of the better tracks. I love this album from top to bottom. Well, the iTunes bonus In No Hurry could've been left off. Otherwise, this album is fantastic all around.

[MusicTalks]

Deep South is the best Cartel song ever.
Bold statement, but I like it.

[Chris Fallon]

I thought Brent Paschke (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Brent_Paschke&action=edit&redlink=1) produced it.
I heard all over the place Neal Avron did, and honestly haven't seen this guy's name anywhere. Not even on Wikipedia or on the download I received from their PR people. Obviously you have the album, and I don't have a booklet handy.

[MusicTalks]

album starts out SO strong. but it fades. like i've listened to the first 4 songs 7 or 8 times and the rest like 2 or 3.
I think that Typical, 27 Steps and Retrograde are amazing. Retrograde is probably one of my faves on the album.

[Chris Fallon]

Neal Avron only mixed one song (lets Go) your review says he produced the entire album, 2 completely different things bro.
Love faster ride, and perfect mistake
See what I posted to Jason -- thank you though, I'll simply delete his name from it all.

[MusicTalks]

I heard all over the place Neal Avron did, and honestly haven't seen this guy's name anywhere. Not even on Wikipedia or on the download I received from their PR people. Obviously you have the album, and I don't have a booklet handy.
Both Neal Avron and Brent Paschke helped.

[Chris Fallon]

lyrics 7.75?
There's not really anything praise worthy here, and I don't think they deserve over an 8. They are average at best, with a few moments.

[Chris Fallon]

Both Neal Avron and Brent Paschke helped.
Cool, thanks -- like I said, Avron's name is the only one I ever heard from anyone, and there was hardly any info available to me as I wrote this a few days back.

[IamTheINDUSTRY]

There's not really anything praise worthy here, and I don't think they deserve over an 8. They are average at best, with a few moments.
exactly. so maybe give the lyrics around a 5 or 6 since they are incredibly generic.

[Chris Fallon]

Ha, what's with the Tom Higgenson remark? Was that because of that time they called Fallon out in an interview like 3 years ago or something? weird.
Oh, I should add, it was a last minute remark I added just because PWT got mad at me last fall for me ripping their album. It was the worst pop-rock record I'd heard all year, and this one is the polar opposite, so I added that for fun. Mainly for people who have been reading my reviews for a long time.

[Chris Fallon]

exactly. so maybe give the lyrics around a 5 or 6 since they are incredibly generic.
The reason I pushed it higher: "Let's Go," "Deep South," "Conventional Friend" and "Retrograde" contain more honesty & emotion from Will since Chroma. They keep it all from drowning. I'll agree that at least four tracks are too reliant on some schmaltzy crap, but in comparison to everything else on the record (particularly "Perfect Mistake" and "Typical"), those songs lift the score higher than I would normally allow for a pop-rock disc.

[jallred11]

great review....completely agree...fantastic record...this band will be around for a while

[IamTheINDUSTRY]

The reason I pushed it higher: "Let's Go," "Deep South," "Conventional Friend" and "Retrograde" contain more honesty & emotion from Will since Chroma. They keep it all from drowning. I'll agree that at least four tracks are too reliant on some schmaltzy crap, but in comparison to everything else on the record (particularly "Perfect Mistake" and "Typical"), those songs lift the score higher than I would normally allow for a pop-rock disc.
fair enough my friend.

[arcarsination]

What is wrong with you people. The self titled was great.

[XLT917]

This album is a grower for sure, at first I was like meh, but it had just enough to comeback too and now I'm really liking it.

[Alexx Miller]

the weird burp near the end of "Deep South,"

What were you referring to?

Good review/score. Conventional Friend and Retrograde are highly enjoyable songs.

[|adr3naLine|]

Mines the usual story. Loved them until Cartel, then completely stopped listening to them, and they were even one of the bands I deleted to make room on my iPod. Now I'm back into them. Great album.

[TERRABITHIA]

Nothing will ever be as good as Chroma. But hey, I can tolerate this. It's already growing on me.

[iloveblink182]

already got the cd in the mail on monday, its amazing. nice review though. kevin sanders is indeed, the man.

[Ryzenfall]

Doesn't touch Chroma but it's a great record. If I didn't have that comparison there would be nothing to complain about.

I'm just trying to see this as some band's debut. It's pretty solid. I'm glad I have the demo version for "It Still Remains" though, I've been a fan of that organic sound recently. I have a feeling these songs will sound great live.

[ExplodingStereo]

I liked it, too. It took a little while to grow on me, but so did Chroma. I don't really get how everyone is thinking that this one is so much better than s/t, but I've only listened a few times so far.
Absolutely agreed. The S/T was not that bad. In fact, I never really got into Chroma and ended up liking the S/T more. This album's pretty good though, "It Still Remains" is the current favorite for me.

[Formatfun]

I don't get what makes the self-titled so bad. I look forward to listening to this album. The review gives me high high hopes.

[Steeeve Perry]

Nothing will ever be as good as Chroma. But hey, I can tolerate this. It's already growing on me.
I hope you mean nothing Cartel does will ever be as good.

[blindrider529]

Just because I have to throw this out there any time Cartel is mentioned...I LOVE the self-titled album. It's criminally underrated and this is Cartel's 3rd 5-star album in a row in my opinion.

[blowmybutthole]

its top 5 of the year for me and thats me coming in thinking "im going to hate this CD so much, cartel just a band that makes songs in bubbles" but it was a total 180. im going back through the catalog to listen to them

[Drew Beringer]

I do like this album way more than I did a few weeks ago.

[asher_roslynn]

not a huge Cartel fan since The Ransom EP, but "Q/A" is one of my favorite two song combos of all time

THIS. Loved the Ransom EP.

[TSLataris]

"A Faster Ride" is a really dope song.

[writeacliche]

Loving this record.

[OneloveCartel]

Wind up huh? What was there last label??
epic

[OneloveCartel]

already got the cd in the mail on monday, its amazing. nice review though. kevin sanders is indeed, the man.
hahah this made me laugh, cause its so true

[OneloveCartel]

its top 5 of the year for me and thats me coming in thinking "im going to hate this CD so much, cartel just a band that makes songs in bubbles" but it was a total 180. im going back through the catalog to listen to them
im glad you were able to realize how great this is, my friend :)

[iloveblink182]

hahah this made me laugh, cause its so true
hell yeah and nice username!

[andthetruthwill]

Nope, I did too! The only thing that annoyed me was the hidden tracks at the end of the songs. If you want to do that at the end of a record for some reason, feel free. But the way they did it was very irritating.
Very much so. That whole record had a very poor structure.

[Young Machetes]

Faster Ride is the song The Higher forgot to write.

[And Hours Pass]

Very much so. That whole record had a very poor structure.

I came close to splitting the tracks myself, but didn't end up doing it. I hope there aren't tons of hidden tracks on Cycles.

Faster Ride is the song The Higher forgot to write.

Wow, that really saps any excitement I had for that particular track.

[lifesanocean]

Well said

[Max_123]

The Perfect Mistake was the only song that interested me

[xjdizzle]

Come on give it a higher score .This album is way better than So Wrong Its right from that lame generic boy band All time Blow. This deserves an 85 percent.

[Chris Fallon]

Come on give it a higher score .This album is way better than So Wrong Its right from that lame generic boy band All time Blow. This deserves an 85 percent.
Cool, but I never reviewed that so fail. 78 is perfectly appropriate for a decent powerpop-rock disc.

[Chris Fallon]

the weird burp near the end of "Deep South,"

What were you referring to?

Good review/score. Conventional Friend and Retrograde are highly enjoyable songs.
That part near the end where the production mixes his voice on "One by one" ... I just hate that noise it makes. Not sure why they did that.

[OneloveCartel]

hell yeah and nice username!
Hahha yea and ohhh thank you :) its my user name for like everything.

[OneloveCartel]

Come on give it a higher score .This album is way better than So Wrong Its right from that lame generic boy band All time Blow. This deserves an 85 percent.
Sooooo agree all time low is such a joke. I don't get what the big deal is about them. I mean they do have some catchy shit but its really nothing that really nothing that desverves anything more than a 7.0.
However chris didn't review that record, so you can't really say anything too him. Hahah

[Merkin]

I do like this

[Shatter_Glass]

nope
excuse me?

[xjdizzle]

Cool, but I never reviewed that so fail. 78 is perfectly appropriate for a decent powerpop-rock disc.

Im just sayin in general should have a higher score.I'm not blaming people just a reaction but at least it was wasnt a letdown like other releases so its a fair score.

[xjdizzle]

Sooooo agree all time low is such a joke. I don't get what the big deal is about them. I mean they do have some catchy shit but its really nothing that really nothing that desverves anything more than a 7.0.
However chris didn't review that record, so you can't really say anything too him. Hahah

The person who did ATL was Drew Beringer then again his reviews are so inconsistant and i gave him so much shit for that review lmao.
i like Chris Fallon's reviews tho.All time low needs to just go away with the other 20 bands that sound and look just like them.
Theyre touring with The Friday Night boys what a joke,I think ATL is full of themselves you notice how they never try to open for bigger bands than been there longer than they have.

[TERRABITHIA]

Ha. Of course that's what I mean. Chroma isn't that good! But it is the best Cartel will ever put out. Their glory days are far gone.

[Drew Beringer]

The person who did ATL was Drew Beringer then again his reviews are so inconsistant and i gave him so much shit for that review lmao.
i like Chris Fallon's reviews tho.All time low needs to just go away with the other 20 bands that sound and look just like them.
Theyre touring with The Friday Night boys what a joke,I think ATL is full of themselves you notice how they never try to open for bigger bands than been there longer than they have.
lol you gave me so much shit? I don't even know who you are.

[OneloveCartel]

yea, to honest i dont really know anything about the people who write the reviews, cause i really only just read cartel reviews. but i do agree on the whole ATL thing. cause i mean dont get me wrong there are some songs by them that i do enjoy. but they are full of themselves, even though they're funny dudes and can have a good time i mean there are pleantly of people who are funny. its like if you wanna be a fucking comedian go do it, but you dont need to bring music into the middle of it. their fall tour is a fucking joke, along with them. i just dont get what is wrong with people these days.

[OneloveCartel]

Deep South is the best Cartel song ever.
i like how it emphasizes everyone in the bands strengths and all of that but i dont think its the best cartel song. minstrels prayer is

[xjdizzle]

lol you gave me so much shit? I don't even know who you are.

Haha i just thought it was funny looking back at it. I mean your not gono remember some random person on here that disagreed with one review or 2 and it doesnt really matter reviews dont give or take nething away from an album if people like it its gono sell if not then the band is SOL.

[xjdizzle]

yea, to honest i dont really know anything about the people who write the reviews, cause i really only just read cartel reviews. but i do agree on the whole ATL thing. cause i mean dont get me wrong there are some songs by them that i do enjoy. but they are full of themselves, even though they're funny dudes and can have a good time i mean there are pleantly of people who are funny. its like if you wanna be a fucking comedian go do it, but you dont need to bring music into the middle of it. their fall tour is a fucking joke, along with them. i just dont get what is wrong with people these days.

Haha yea i mean theyre an alright band that can be fun but theyre so overated and yea they need at least act like they are greatful to be doing something as awsome as playing music for a living.I used to be in a few bands and i was greatful just get on stage and one of them was Adair if ne one remembers them gettin on the Ernie Ball Stage was an accomplishment to us.That was Warped 06 it was seriously one of the best times of my life .Cartel was on it too haha.

[OneloveCartel]

Haha yea i mean theyre an alright band that can be fun but theyre so overated and yea they need at least act like they are greatful to be doing something as awsome as playing music for a living.I used to be in a few bands and i was greatful just get on stage and one of them was Adair if ne one remembers them gettin on the Ernie Ball Stage was an accomplishment to us.That was Warped 06 it was seriously one of the best times of my life .Cartel was on it too haha.
Yesss I know exactly what you're talking about. But it also is like their fans are mostly 12 year old 7th graders who listen to whatever their friends are listening too cause they think it will make them
Seem cooler or something, idk. All I know is that people really do need to take a closer listen to the music their listening too. Cause so many of these bands just don't care
And I can imagine played warped tour. That does sound amazing ahahha

[Richard Maxim]

All hail Chroma, picked this up today at best buy for 10 bucks, listened to it on the ride home and was really disappointed. There really only a few memorable tracks on this release and i actually felt ripped off even if it was only 10 bucks. I even prefer their S/T.

[runningohfive]

Great Review, Good Album.

[imtellingseb]

listened to cycles the first time today, and wow, what lift from the selftitled album! not sure if i like it more than chroma tho, have to give it a couple of more listens first.

[SpyKi]

not as good as s/t or Chroma. Still awesome.

[theripped0ne]

deep south is the best song on this album. hands down.

[Intotheunkn0wn]

Great review...i'm glad there was alot of emphasis on the fact that their self-titled was garbage. i would agree that despite creativity for sailing unchartered waters, there was really nothing to say about that album...glad to see they are back in fighting form.

[mike'smannequin]

i loved chroma hated the self titled...hate cycles

[Alexx Miller]

That part near the end where the production mixes his voice on "One by one" ... I just hate that noise it makes. Not sure why they did that.
I gotcha.

[Steve Henderson]

Will is easily the best pop punk vocalist out there today, and probably my favorite rock singer at the moment. I would listen to this dude sing names out of the phone book.

[OneloveCartel]

Will is easily the best pop punk vocalist out there today, and probably my favorite rock singer at the moment. I would listen to this dude sing names out of the phone book.
Hahahahaha, yea that's one of the reasons why I love cartel so much. Cause the singers voice really does make a huge difference in a band.
For example I love radiohead and but his voice really just kills some songs, and I can't stand it.
But no joke will doesn't have to do anything at all for his voice to sound amazing.

[OneloveCartel]

deep south is the best song on this album. hands down.
I'd say faster ride is second though. Love the lyrics too that song

[RedLetterDay009]

this is a really wonderful album and i'd have to agree a great bounceback for Cartel. Can't wait to see them live!

[RickySuperstar]

Ransom set the stage. Chroma is amazing. S/T is beautiful. Cycles rocks.

I still think "If I Were To Write This Song" is one of the best Cartel songs ever. I feel like going back and writing a user review for S/T just to give this album the credit it deserves.

[owiseone35]

Ransom set the stage. Chroma is amazing. S/T is beautiful. Cycles rocks.

I still think "If I Were To Write This Song" is one of the best Cartel songs ever. I feel like going back and writing a user review for S/T just to give this album the credit it deserves.
Musictalks wrote one which was pretty solid review of it.

[withallmylovex]

i lovee it! they sound happier :)

[OneloveCartel]

Ransom set the stage. Chroma is amazing. S/T is beautiful. Cycles rocks.

I still think "If I Were To Write This Song" is one of the best Cartel songs ever. I feel like going back and writing a user review for S/T just to give this album the credit it deserves.
i really do agree and think that s/t has some of cartel's work. sucks that people dont realize that

[Gregory Robson]

Will is easily the best pop punk vocalist out there today, and probably my favorite rock singer at the moment. I would listen to this dude sing names out of the phone book.
Me too. And I agree with all of that.

[tattoo_ofthesun]

i think its fantastic (:

[Formatfun]

I'm currently listening to it for the first time and loving it.

[cartelr0cks]

amazing album. they all are

[DungeonsnDragon]

I'm a huge Cartel fan. Loved the E.p. Chroma was okay but this album.... its so inconsistent.

With lyrics like "Are you with me, 27 steps to your front door, Are you with me, I can't stand your face anymore", how is anyone older than 17 supposed to take them seriously?

"It still remains" has a great chorus but the half timing of the second verse slows down the momentum of the entire song.

I could go on picking apart this album, but my point is:

Will Pugh is an amazing vocalist and he is so so good at making trite lyrics sound incredibly epic.
He could make "twinkle twinkle little star" sound like a fucking reveille and that's what makes him that great. Hiring a songwriter or attending a creative writing class wouldn't be a bad idea.

I'll continue to listen to cartel because Will's voice gets me goin but this review was way too biased. I've been waiting for Cartel to come up with something with more substance but I don't think its ever coming. Inconsistency like this means they won't last much longer. Sucks.

[Gregory Robson]

I'm a huge Cartel fan. Loved the E.p. Chroma was okay but this album.... its so inconsistent.

With lyrics like "Are you with me, 27 steps to your front door, Are you with me, I can't stand your face anymore", how is anyone older than 17 supposed to take them seriously?

"It still remains" has a great chorus but the half timing of the second verse slows down the momentum of the entire song.

I could go on picking apart this album, but my point is:

Will Pugh is an amazing vocalist and he is so so good at making trite lyrics sound incredibly epic.
He could make "twinkle twinkle little star" sound like a fucking reveille and that's what makes him that great. Hiring a songwriter or attending a creative writing class wouldn't be a bad idea.

I'll continue to listen to cartel because Will's voice gets me goin but this review was way too biased. I've been waiting for Cartel to come up with something with more substance but I don't think its ever coming. Inconsistency like this means they won't last much longer. Sucks.
I wholeheartedly agree with every single thing you said. 100 percent accurate. And the point about his trite lyrics, is so incredibly accurate. He literally sings about absolutely nothing. An example, "Born on the same day as the sun," from "Deep South." Like, seriously, what in the hell does that mean!? I realize he's trying to be poetic, but it literally makes absolutely zero sense, and it's just horrendous. And it's not the only lyric like that.

[overdrive91]

lol you gave me so much shit? I don't even know who you are.
haha win.
Albums okay so far. Its nothing special but its good.

[aradiantsunrise]

It's no Chroma but it's a really good album nonetheless.

[tattoo_ofthesun]

I wholeheartedly agree with every single thing you said. 100 percent accurate. And the point about his trite lyrics, is so incredibly accurate. He literally sings about absolutely nothing. An example, "Born on the same day as the sun," from "Deep South." Like, seriously, what in the hell does that mean!? I realize he's trying to be poetic, but it literally makes absolutely zero sense, and it's just horrendous. And it's not the only lyric like that.
I think its a little unfair to note their lyrics as 'horrendous'. Caters to the sixteen/seventeen age group, no doubt about it. However, I would hardly go so far as to say that he's singing about absolutely nothing. I'm not trying to put it out there that it's this fantastically metaphorical and poetic album, but they lyrics are not 'trite in all of the songs. The only ones that I thought were really like that are "Typical" and "See Me Now". But not so much when you've got songs like "It Still Remains" and "Only You", which have good lyrics.

Like I said before, I think its a really great album. (:

[chis08]

good review!!
cartel is awesome and i can't wait to see the band in columbus 10/31 with the summer set!!! ahh halloween showw

[Brohio!]

am i one of the only ones who actually liked the s/t?
no I loved the cd, it is different then Chroma, but why is that a bad thing. It is a great CD!

[Brohio!]

New album is super solid, like all the others. Do yourself a favor and see them live. Great dudes, great music.

[osirisFIVE]

I secretly dance in my bedroom behind locked doors to 'Lose it'.
My body just becomes... uncontrollable!

[carlovetel]

the weird thing is...... Cartel is my favorite of thier cds!

maybe im just the weird one...

[lovergal91]

I also liked the S/T. All 3 album's are different. People need to get over the fact that they aren't going to keep on putting out the same thing all the time. It may not be as good as Chroma or the S/T for some, but I like that it's different. There may be like 1 or 2 songs on the album that I really don't like too much, but it's definitely better than some of the garbage music that is out there now. Will Pugh can actually sing!


OMFG thank you. Well said my friend.
It blows my mind when fans bitch and complain about their second album not sounding like the first one. If it was supposed to sound like that, they've would've just called it Chroma 2.0 don't ya think? And for those who are such Cartel haters, see them live and then I'll lend you the right to complain about them. Will's goal for this album was to write a good one for the stage, and I must say he did a damn good job. I've seen them twice since Cycles' release.

[lovergal91]

the weird thing is...... Cartel is my favorite of thier cds!

maybe im just the weird one...
No you're not the weird one. The self-titled album is also my favorite too. I think it's just which song meanings and lyrics appear to everyone the most.

[JuneJuly]

first listen and I love it.

[Jason Tate]

I wholeheartedly agree with every single thing you said. 100 percent accurate. And the point about his trite lyrics, is so incredibly accurate. He literally sings about absolutely nothing. An example, "Born on the same day as the sun," from "Deep South." Like, seriously, what in the hell does that mean!? I realize he's trying to be poetic, but it literally makes absolutely zero sense, and it's just horrendous. And it's not the only lyric like that.
Do you really not know what that means? You probably shouldn't trash on lyrics simply because you can't figure them out and don't think they mean something.

[Lirr168]

Do you really not know what that means? You probably shouldn't trash on lyrics simply because you can't figure them out and don't think they mean something.
I just finished giving this album another full listen (easily my 20th time) and I love it. In Gregory's defense, however, the more I listen the more I find myself cringing at many of the lyrics.

The one that really gets me is "I was blind 'til I opened up my eyes to see" in Conventional Friend. The line from Deep South might well be called clever compared to this.

[shrem]

Do you really not know what that means? You probably shouldn't trash on lyrics simply because you can't figure them out and don't think they mean something.
Heh. True. It means that he was born on the day of onset of summer I believe.

[marcustroy]

If Cartel can ever top Deep South, I will be impressed.
this thread is pretty old, so it's funny seeing everbodys first thoughts. it took me a while to really enjoy all of the songs, the first four were immediate favourites, but now many months later this album is well within top 50 on my most played on iTunes

[CrystalCoveBand]

self titled albums is great! i don't understand peoples bashing!?