Alien Ant Farm Album: “Up in the Attic [Digipak]”

This album, like their other two before it, is amazing. Artistically it may not match ANThology, but all of their albums are entertaining and enjoyable. I don't think they play a bad song. I would like to voice that Smooth Criminal is probably their worst, I don't understand why it is so loved. Maybe because it's familiar. Anyway, this is the most underrated band in the world. Majority of people don't know them outside of Smooth Criminal which hurts my soul. Listen to Movies. That's one of the greatest songs ever recorded. If that deosn't get you singing or moving you're probably dead.

Alien Ant Farm are an extraordinarily interesting band, for various reasons. First of all, they made it big in the late 90's/ early two thousands by covering a somewhat obscure Michael Jackson song (they did a very great job of it, I might add.) They came up together with friends and then labelmates Papa Roach, and had minor parallel runs of success. While some remember Alien Antfarm as a musical footnote, a novelty act if you will, people that actually listened to their major label debut "ANThology" knew that there was more to this band than bizarre covers. The bizarre actions of eccentric frontman Dryden Mitchell may have had something to do with the bands stagnancy; he was distant, talked in strange voices, and just acted like an all-around nerd in both television and magazine interviews. After a bus accident looked like it would end AAF's short career, Dryden and Co. persevered to release a sophomore album, "truANT" for Dreamworks a few years after "ANThology" broke. While more of an artistic triumph, the second album thrust the band further into obscurity (despite the memorable video for "These Days" which featured the band crashing the Hip Hop Source Awards and playing on top of a building.) Just when I thought they were done for, I saw that they had released this, their third album, "Up In The Attic" (after their new album "Third Draft" failed to see the light of day due to conflicts with Geffen.) The album basically continues in the vein of "TRUant", with splashes of salsa, funk, and SoCal punk playing over their alternative hard rock backbone. The interesting thing about this band is that they seem to be unsure as to whether they want to be a successful commercial act, or a bizarre, artistically satisfying, ne'er understood college rock band. They have the skills to do both, but just when they are heading in one direction, they take a U-turn and go the other way. For example, on "It Could Happen", Dryden sings like a maniac, delivering an unbelievable vocal performance over dizzying guitar playing. However, the lyrics are downright awful; but this is bizarre because some of the songs feature outstanding lyrics but pedestrian musicianship. Alien Ant Farm have all the tools to make it: unbelievably catchy hooks, Monstrous choruses, outstanding musicianship, and a bizarre, charismatic frontman. They just have to make a choice. Overall, I would recommend this cd to fans of the last two, but offer that it won't win the band any new fans either.

I continue to enjoy Alien Ant Farm and have been a fan ever since ANThology was released in 2001. I consider ANThology to have been a 5 star album and now I rate Up In The Attic a 4 star. Even though I don't feel this album has the passion and incredible talent that was on ANThology, Up In The Attic is still a worthy effort by a band that refuses to follow trends. There is a mature, yet fun and light-hearted feel to this album when listening to "San Sebastian" and "Consti2tion" as well as a deep, brooding chill left by songs like "Sleepwalker" and "She's Only Evil." It is a shame that AAF will never seem to live up to the success they had with "Smooth Criminal" considering the talent this band possesses. I think anyone who wants a good rock album to chill to, should pick up this latest effort by a great band.

Also, to clear up any confusion, Tye Zamora did all the bass on the Up In The Attic album before he left the band.

Not much good except for a few songs (Supreme Lifestyle & Forgive and Forget), the rest of the album is kinda weak.

alien ant farm rules. i can't beleive how good they are!

my favorite song (not on this cd) is "smooth criminal". they remade michael jackson's song in a metal version.

but this cd is just as sweet.

AAF IS BEAST!!!