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That hurt...

There's no way they're worse than Hinder.... No way. NOTHING is, not even my crap after listening to Hinder.

hinder is pretty bad. this band can't be as bad as they are.

This guy Rich Taylor must be high! HURT are a great band that clearly stand out. I just read two other reviews by this guy. He says that OTEP used to be on Columbia. Do your fact checking buddy, they were on Capitol. His other review of the Foo Fighters is comical. They made what MANY consider their best record ever and this guys slams it.

The Reaper

They made what MANY consider their best record ever and this guys slams it.

So, I suppose since many people feel a particular way, the reviewer is obligated to agree?

The Reaper

This guy Rich Taylor must be an idiot! HURT are a great band that clearly stand out. I just read two other reviews by this hack. He says that OTEP used to be on Columbia. Do your fact checking moron, they were on Capitol. Clearly this person pontificates but does little home work. His other review of the Foo Fighters is comical. They made what MANY consider their best record ever and this guys slams it. Get that cotton out of your ears ass wipe!!!

wow.
new foos is tripe.
any otep is horrid.

i'm not defending rich here (not too familiar with his work), but if these are albums he's found to be poor, then i think his track record is fine.

Not defending Foo Fighters, OTEP, or HURT although I vehemently disagree with his opinion of two of the three, however I am simply pointing out that journalists to be credible need to fact check. The problem with blogs is that anyone can spew venom or vile with no tangible background in responsible journalism. The ability to write and discern musical prowess is an art form as well. There are "well respected" bloggers who indeed demonstrate this by accurately depicting what the artist was intending to convey/achieve and whether or not they actually succeeded or failed. They then expound responsibly from a neutral point of view.

how does their old label being capitol effect the review in any way? it's a pointless little error that doesn't take away from anything else he said in the entire review.

this used to be my sig back in the day, but i think it needs to rear its beautiful head once again here...

fact-checking is for pussies.

i'm sure that having the facts straight are important when it comes to current data, but i think, personally, that commenting on the past should only be done to show how a band has changed over the years and any other past details can be fudged or outright ignored, because they really have no discernable reason in an album review. just because someone botches this pointless information does not mean the entire review is a waste.

also, i won't be listening to this album either way, so i can't comment on its accuracy.

The Reaper

This guy Rich Taylor must be an idiot! HURT are a great band that clearly stand out. I just read two other reviews by this hack. He says that OTEP used to be on Columbia. Do your fact checking moron, they were on Capitol. Clearly this person pontificates but does little home work. His other review of the Foo Fighters is comical. They made what MANY consider their best record ever and this guys slams it. Get that cotton out of your ears ass wipe!!!

I'm sure "MANY" would agree that anybody who thinks HURT are “a great band” and think that they "clearly stand out" doesn’t really know that much about great music. Not me, personally, but I’m sure many would. If you like HURT that’s fine, and even if you "vehemently disagree" with someones review, that is also fine, but don't resort to throwing childish insults around.

I’ll reiterate: I think this album seems rushed, dreadfully basic, poorly produced and haphazardly arranged with no attention to detail whatsoever. If you don’t agree with that or a review - compose and post a short contrasting critique sharing your opinions on why this album is so great in a constructive form; engage in a proper discussion offering a valid assessment rather than jut bashing and petty name calling.

And I do apologise for the simple mistake of mixing Columbia with Capitol Records.

Don't sweat it Rich. I'm pretty sure The Reaping is Hurt's manager hanging out here trying to defend his band.

I reviewed their last album and I completely agree with Rich. This stuff is just plain boring. I listen to modern rock and I'm not biased against it, but this band does nothing. I wouldn't be surprised if Capitol lets them go before their next release.

you know, if the songwriting is as lazy as people are saying, i'm going to toss my hat into the ring and say i believe it, because it appears they put zero effort into naming their band AND their albums.

rmgebhardt

Don't sweat it Rich. I'm pretty sure The Reaping is Hurt's manager hanging out here trying to defend his band.

Rich,

I apologize for the petty insults. You got my ire up and your review just seemed a bit harsh. In my opinion, there seems to be more constructive ways to communicate your views on a CD, but to each his own. I will say in response to your review regarding HURT that there are a number of reviews that completely contradict your sentiments. Anyone who is interested, who stops on this thread should make note to visit allmusic.com or Blogcritics.org to get another perspective. They have written as eloquent a review as anything that I would post here.

sir mix-a-lot

you know, if the songwriting is as lazy as people are saying, i'm going to toss my hat into the ring and say i believe it, because it appears they put zero effort into naming their band AND their albums.

I wonder if you see the irony in your statement above. You are choosing to believe that someone's opinion on songwriting is lazy, but you have not made the effort to listen for yourself. And while it might appear that their name and album title had little effort put into them, the opposite might also be true.

i like how the artwork for this disc is just inverted from their last...creative.

yeah...there's nothing really good here...

dear the reaper,

i have the best taste in music ever and do not wish to sully my fantastic music-finding and music-listening skills by listening to a band called Hurt.

thanks, though!

sir mix-a-lot

Ok maybe reaper is Hurt's manager and maybe he's not. I don't know. I can tell you for sure that I am not. When I read this review my first thoughts were who in the heck is Rich Taylor and what planet is he from. Apparently Rich has a hearing problem and needs a hearing aid not to mention get the cobweb's out of his head. He also needs to know who he is writing about a little better. I mean to say that J. Loren brags about his violin background is insane. J. Loren may refer to his background in violin but brag never. J.Loren is not exactly known for bragging. He is laid back, and calm and he keeps to himself. I have seen first hand his reaction if someone doesn't know who he is and he will calmly state his name and not go all manic because someone doesn't know him.The music is what he wants the attention on not himself. The reason for the references to his violin is because it is used in their music when appropriate and it brings emotional sense to the lyrics and music. Of course he is not going to put it where it does not belong. For instance Danse Russe (vol I) or On the Radio has a lot of violin in it and it is used in such a way that it draws you in and makes you feel the song in your heart and soul. I haven't seen a bigger bunch of bs since Brittney tried to do a comeback.
To compare J. Loren to Scott Stapp is like using the chewbacca theory, or saying Michael Vick is joining PETA... the glove don't fit! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but this guy has gone blind! Hinder may be a Creed replacement, or maybe not. Who am I to judge one's music. I'm no critic nor do I read their hearts. I don't know whether Hinder sold out to sell albums. On face value, they did, but who is to say they wasn't pressured by their label to produce a single that would appeal to the masses? Can you blame them for that to get the rest of their music out? many bands do that . One single for the album to get released. Alot of people call them one hit wonders, but who listened to the rest of the album. We give a little to get a little, but not Hurt. They gave the proverbial middle finger and said every song is a single... pick one. The thing with Hurt whether listening to Vol I or Vol II is that every song has a deep meaning.The interpretation of the song is left to the listener and if the listener actually opens their ears or turn on their hearing aid then they can find meaning in every song. I know that there are people out there that's lives have been changed for the good because of the hard work that Hurt puts into their music. I am a true believer that their music reached out to someone I love and probably saved his life. Music doesn't get any better than that. Hurt plays for the love of it and the love of their fans. For them it is about the music not themselves. J. Loren and the rest of Hurt lives for the music, and even if they didn't have a record label would still be playing and writing (the best music out there). Just because there close minded and small minded people out there does not give Rich the right to say the things he said.
Everyone has different taste in music and that's fine, but if you listen to Hurt then you know that there's usually a little bit of everything for everyone the trick is you have to listen key word listen. I will listen to music or read a book regardless of the review. I have found that if you go by what critics rate you can miss out on some good stuff. What I do know is that he obviously didn't truly listen to the music or the words. He just wrote something just to write it. To speak of Hurt or J like that should be sac religious. It's a free country and there is free speech but someone needs to put the proverbial sock in this guys mouth.

You know, if you are going to put that much time and effort into defending a band from one reviewer's opinion, you could at least try to avoid making it self-contradictory.

sir-mix-a-lot,

For your information the reason that the albums are called volume I and Volume II is because it is collective piece of work and they go hand in hand. The art work is similar for the same reason. Some of the songs interconnect to others, and by the way its the music and lyrics that they wanted the attention on not the name or cover of the album. If you look you will notice that their pictures are not plastered all over the cover. There is a reason for that. Also there is more behind the bands name (Hurt) than I guess you will ever know because you didn't take the time to see it, and if you go on the name of an album alone then lord help your ears (just keep listening to Paris Hilton or Britney Spears). There is actually more creativity behind all of those things combined than you could possibly imagine or understand.

I never claimed to be a writer or anything close. I type fast what can I say. The point is there and I said what I needed to say. I will stand up for something I believe in. I generally don't respond to reviewers posts but there comes a time when I feel the need to say something. This was one of those few times. It didn't take long to type, and even if it did i would take that time, but considering I type 80wpm when I want to then I guess you can see how long it would take me. Sure I should have slowed down a little but when I get going I just type what I feel.

While just sitting at work or home in front of your your computer might (in your mind) qualify you to be a learned person, I have to disagree with this review of Hurt, volume 2. I was not a huge fan of Hurt until I was coaxed into going to a show. Now, the memory of their great stage presence, I can fully appreciate anything Hurt has to offer. I was impressed with their musical style, and their vocalist. Particularly with their violin & banjo pieces, I'm just suggesting that maybe their music was meant to be viewed as well as heard.

If you think this guy's musical tastes range between Paris Hilton and Britney Spears you are waaaaaaaaay wrong.

It was a pun. It was the whole point of don't judge a book by its cover (no pun intended lol. I doubt seriously that he listens to either.

pickalobob,

Thank you. I enjoy their music in person as well as on my radio. Hurt has a huge stage presence, and it just takes their music to a whole new level. The intensity with which they play is just amazing and that energy to me at least just flows into you. I agree their music is all is meant to be seen and heard, and seeing them just makes you want to scream for more.