Hoobastank - Every Man for Himself

A good listen, but only if you're already a fan...

With the purchase of this album, I can officially declare myself a Hoobastank fan. Having bought Hoobastank's first two (and more popular) albums, and having liked them, I made the decision to give this one a whirl. Although I like what I've heard, please note that nothing on here will be particularly fresh-sounding for anyone not already familiar with this band.

The prime reason for the above statement, perhaps, is that nothing on this album is very catchy or outstanding. None of the thirteen tracks really stand out from the rest of the songs on the album (like "Crawling in the Dark" or "The Reason" do on the band's other releases). The music on this album is generally more experimental and varied, including tracks that are generally mellower in tone (think of Linkin Park's MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT); the band probably crafted this album in the attempt to produce another ballad-hit like "The Reason". The track with which this is most obviously attempted is "If I Were You", which is catchy but lacks the passionate energy found in "The Reason".

A huge round of applause for guitarist/composer Dan Estrin, who attempts all sorts of new tricks on this album. The heavier songs have a more danceable bounce to them (see "Inside of You" or "Born to Lead"), and the ballad tracks contain keyboards and well-placed string arrangements to really emphasize the tone of many tracks (see "The First of Me" or "If Only"). He really swings for the fences with the seven-minute closer "More Than a Memory", which includes flute, accordion, and soft acoustic guitar. By the end of the track, you'll be bobbing your head with your eyes closed dreamily. The album's main weakness, however, is Doug Robb's banal lyrics, which actually seem to be more blatantly literal than anything even on Hoobastank's debut. The exact same lyrical path about self-determination, for example, is present on "Born to Lead", "The First of Me", and "Without a Fight". Estrin gives Robb some surprisingly rich material to work with, but instead of becoming deeper in thought, Robb chooses to make his lyrics ill-conceived and tries (and fails) to use differing emotions to get his point across.

Buy this album only if you're a Hoobastank fan who has enjoyed the first two Hoobastank albums and is ready to step up to a new level. Otherwise, this album is very weak in terms of catchiness and attractiveness to a new audience and is not worth considering. June 28, 2008

Give it a couple listens.

After you get familiar with the songs they start to grow on you and the melodies are outstanding!! however this is a depressing cd it's not filled with happy good times stuff, it will make you think but it does have a couple of really good rockin tunes... "inside of you" is probably the best up beat hoobastank song they've written i dont know why that song just faded like it did i could hear it on repeat, if you like hoobastank and your feeling bummed it'll help ya, pick it up January 16, 2008

not like before

i really like hoobastanks last 2 CD's but this one only had a couple good songs. i recomend just download the songs you like December 31, 2007

Give them credit for trying something new

First off, I am a casual listener of Hoobastank, perhaps not even worthy of legitimate "fan" status. When I was younger, I very much so enjoyed their self-titled effort and even got into most of "The Reason" when it first came out. Over the past few years, I have drifted away from the band for the most part, though, only occasionally coming back to re-live some middle school memories.

However, I was intrigued when I caught wind that the new release was supposed to be a bit different from the previous two, with the band going for a little bit of a different sound. So, after debating whether or not I should take a chance on it used after hearing a few tracks and being a little impressed, I finally decided that $3.99 was worth the gamble. If I had paid full price and bought this album new, this would have been an even worse review.

Hoobastank definitely took their sound in som directions on this one, however for the most part this seems to consist primarily of seemingly random samples and sound effects that really don't add much to the song at all. An example of such would be the cliche thunderstorm effect used to transition between two tracks (sorry, can't remember the two) on the early part of the album. There are some places where the band manage to use some new tricks quite effectively, though, the main examples being the military-romp samples on "Born to Lead" and the numerous instruments (I believe I heard everything from horns to an accordion) on the seven minute plus "More Than a Memory."

However, much of the album just feels rather uninspired and perhaps even rushed. "Moving Forward," sincere as it may be, is one of the most repetitive and yet rambling songs I've heard in recent memory - it just doesn't seem to go anywhere at all. Many of the others as well just seem extremely stock and bland - very similar to pretty much anything else you can find on the radio these days. For example, the southern-ish guitar line on "Look Where We Are Now" only sticks out because it is southern - not because it is in the least bit unique or interesting. While it does show that the band has a degree of instrumental skill, it strikes me as being extremely stock and very out of place and unnecessary when compared with the rest of the record.

While the band has been able to pull out some memorable semi-ballads on the previous two efforts, with "Every Man for Himself" they take numerous shots at such and seem to come up short every time. The main exception to this, though, would be "More Than a Memory," a shining example of where the band definitely hits the mark with their forays into new territories.

Really the only other song that sticks out in my mind is one that really doesn't drift from the band's typical style - "Without a Fight." There's nothing especially unique or special about this track - it's really just a driving, very punk-influenced tone that shows the band still has the potential for some explosive (word used lightly) moments of emotion.

if this release showed anything, it is that Hoobastank does have the potential for greater things. While their experimentations, in my opinion, didn't seem to bear much fruit this time around, there are some standout tracks on this album that show the band has potential if they are a little more willing to branch out of the sound of today's standard radio fare. A little more focus on their songwriting and a little restraint when it comes to throwing in some new bells and whistles, and these guys could be on to something. No matter what, though, give them credit for trying something new.

If you're a hardcore Hoobastank fan, I would say check this album out before buying it new, but if you've got some cash to burn, a used copy won't be too much of a risk. If you're a casual fan, definitely download some tracks first and see what you think before making a purchase.

Standout Tracks: "Born to Lead," "More Than a Memory," "The First of Me" December 30, 2007

One of the Best

I've had this album for over two years and it is still the CD I listen to more than any other (this includes over 500 albums).. Many people talk about the rock bands who crash and burn with their "mature album", eg. Papa Roach and Linkin Park.. This was Hoobastank's mature release and it surpasses the first two albums by far. The lead single, "If I Were You", is a recreation of the song "The Reason" which many die hard fans of the band didn't like at all. However, "If I Were You" is a fantastic collaboration of melody and vocals, making it, in my opinion, one of their better ballads. The thing I love most about 'Every Man For Himself' is the creation of clever melodies without getting away from the raw, hard rock riffs that made Hoobastank popular. They have made fantastic strides in their lyrical ability and shine on songs such as "The First Of Me", "Good Enough", "Don't Tell Me", "Say The Same", and the ballad "More Than A Memory".. This is an underrated album due to the lack of "radio friendly" singles but I urge you to look into it. This is Hoobastank at their absolute finest. November 14, 2007

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