Marty Casey & Lovehammers - Marty Casey & Lovehammers

It's hard to believe, on hearing Marty Casey & Lovehammers, that Marty Casey is the Bo Bice of "Rock Star: INXS"--that is, the guy who didn't win, but put his chops on display so fiercely night after night that he deserved a cushy consolation prize. So steeped are Casey and his backing players in pushing the surly, hard-charging agenda of modern rock that they come across as Nickelback's likable kid brothers--a fully realized band too farsighted to get sucked into a cred-shattering TV show. Where that leaves this disc is in a strange place: fans of Lovehammers, the band Marty Casey fronted before putting his name out front seemed a smart publicity move, will love the bulk of these 11 songs, especially the pained and furious "Clinic" and the hot-headed "The Tunnel." Fans of the show, on the other hand--pleased as they'll be with the infectiousness of "Trees" and "The Riddle," both of which creep in a vaguely Kelly Clarkson-ish direction--will wish Casey could find another vehicle for exploring his versatility. -Tammy La Gorce Amazon.com

Marty Rocks

I'm from South Africa and I saw Marty perform on Rockstar INXS. Even though he did not win, he is still a star! He is better off doing his own thing than singing with INXS anyway. Marty is very talented, he really knows how to perform and people love him. Great rock music, can listen to it all day long! Hope he comes to South Africa soon! January 24, 2008

Marty Casey and the Lovehammers

I liked this CD the very first time I listened to it, which is unusual for me. If you liked Marty Casey from the TV show INXS, you will really enjoy this CD, which shows his many sides. Trees and Clouds are on the more serene side, while The Tunnel brings you the "real" Marty Casey and gives you an idea what he can really do with an unusual song. I am only hoping he will continue with his music and give us more to listen to.
November 18, 2007

Awesome

If you enjoyed Marty on "Rockstar" you will love this CD. I loved almost every song on the CD right away! September 18, 2007

Love it, love it, love it!!!

I fell in love with Marty on Rockstar and this album didn't disappoint me. Of course, getting "Trees" alone is a reason to buy but the rest is as original and memorable. Something about this music just sticks with you. August 22, 2007

just flat out overrated

This album is more than a tad overrated. I actually considered giving the review one star just to drag the average rating down as much as I could. It's nowhere near a four star effort, let alone five stars.

Marty Casey is very clearly talented as evidenced by the Rock Star program and his vocal range is well demonstrated on this album. He's able to pull off so many tones and carry his voice in several directions. It's extremely impressive and certainly adds to the album. You can see where he gets the rave reviews. Whether he's a great guy doesn't seem to play out in the music, but he certainly conveys a presence when he's singing.

This is where the strengths end, however. The songwriting is average or poor depending on your tastes. There's nothing inventive here. Everything is a standard rock beat. The progressions are standard turnarounds with nothing to spice them up. Every song seems to end with Marty screaming the same thing over and over again in an overwrought "climax". The formula is so predictable that the sound clips are almost all you need. I mean they rarely go to a bridge section; what you hear in the clip is what you are going to hear for three and a half or four minutes.

The production is nothing special, either. It's not a clean peformance nor does it have a raw, live feel. it just sounds flat. The band's performance is equally uninspired. The drummer can't stay away from the high hat for one second. The guitar work is limited to power chords and very occasional attempts to break that mold. With Marty going all over the place and pushing the limits with his voice, the blandness of the band is only magnified.

Spend your money on another album. There has to be a classic rock piece you want but haven't bought yet or a new band you want to try out. Do what Marty couldn't do and avoid this millstone hanging around his neck. August 16, 2007

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