2008 Woodie Awards
"A Beautiful Lie": A Beautiful Collection
30 Seconds to Mars' latest release truly is a "Beautiful Lie."
Jami Furo
Issue date: 10/7/05 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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They are long, spiky hair in tough clothes and black eyeliner-very much in the style of Billy Joe Armstrong and the like. Their fashion sense is not their own, and neither is their music. But in music, sometimes playing off the greatness of others can be desirable.
They are Thirty Seconds to Mars, and their sophomore album, "A Beautiful Lie", has helped to put them on the same bill as Audioslave and Seether in their current tour.
Their self-titled debut album was released in 2002. Since then, they wrote about 40 songs, only 10 of which made it to "A Beautiful Lie". The band distilled down their song selection, only releasing what they felt were their best songs.
Thirty Seconds to Mars offers a sound of heavy rock beats paired with strong melodies. Front man Jared Leto adds a seemingly strained, yet raw and pleasant voice to the guitar riffs and somewhat usual rhythms on the drum kit.
Their sound is rock in its most classic, textbook sense. The only element that is distracting and non-sequitur without any musical benefit is the smattering of random electronic, computerized sound effects. The band, far from being electronica, adds the occasional synthesized sound or computerized effect to their steady rock base. These sounds do not follow the natural flow of the music, and they only detract and distract from the already enjoyable musical soundscape.
The songs on "A Beautiful Lie" do not vary much from track to track, so if you are interested in variety, Thirty Seconds to Mars may not be the band for you. However, if you like rock in the style of Revis and Seether, the sound that they do offer (and repeat from track to track) may be pleasing to you.
The first three songs-"Attack," a track sharing the name with the album, and "The Kill"-are foot-stomping, mosh-pitting favorites, likely aimed at getting the audience (both the audience listening to the CD and to the audiences at their concerts) fired up and cheering the name "Thirty Seconds to Mars."
However, some tracks, while still hard rock and up tempo, are a little sweeter in both melody and lyrics. "From Yesterday" is one such track. It still rocks in the traditional style of the band, but it also provides a more elaborate melody and soothing, heart-warming lyrics, both of which play to the emotions of the listener.
The track immediately following "From Yesterday," entitled "The Story," is an even gentler and more soothing melody. The sound is quieter and more delicate while still maintaining a similar ambiance to the rest of the album.
Thirty Seconds to Mars is a perfect band for those who don't want the burdens of innovation and the search for something new in the music world. For those who just want to rock, this is definitely the band for you.
They are Thirty Seconds to Mars, and their sophomore album, "A Beautiful Lie", has helped to put them on the same bill as Audioslave and Seether in their current tour.
Their self-titled debut album was released in 2002. Since then, they wrote about 40 songs, only 10 of which made it to "A Beautiful Lie". The band distilled down their song selection, only releasing what they felt were their best songs.
Thirty Seconds to Mars offers a sound of heavy rock beats paired with strong melodies. Front man Jared Leto adds a seemingly strained, yet raw and pleasant voice to the guitar riffs and somewhat usual rhythms on the drum kit.
Their sound is rock in its most classic, textbook sense. The only element that is distracting and non-sequitur without any musical benefit is the smattering of random electronic, computerized sound effects. The band, far from being electronica, adds the occasional synthesized sound or computerized effect to their steady rock base. These sounds do not follow the natural flow of the music, and they only detract and distract from the already enjoyable musical soundscape.
The songs on "A Beautiful Lie" do not vary much from track to track, so if you are interested in variety, Thirty Seconds to Mars may not be the band for you. However, if you like rock in the style of Revis and Seether, the sound that they do offer (and repeat from track to track) may be pleasing to you.
The first three songs-"Attack," a track sharing the name with the album, and "The Kill"-are foot-stomping, mosh-pitting favorites, likely aimed at getting the audience (both the audience listening to the CD and to the audiences at their concerts) fired up and cheering the name "Thirty Seconds to Mars."
However, some tracks, while still hard rock and up tempo, are a little sweeter in both melody and lyrics. "From Yesterday" is one such track. It still rocks in the traditional style of the band, but it also provides a more elaborate melody and soothing, heart-warming lyrics, both of which play to the emotions of the listener.
The track immediately following "From Yesterday," entitled "The Story," is an even gentler and more soothing melody. The sound is quieter and more delicate while still maintaining a similar ambiance to the rest of the album.
Thirty Seconds to Mars is a perfect band for those who don't want the burdens of innovation and the search for something new in the music world. For those who just want to rock, this is definitely the band for you.