Album Details

• Artist: Filter
• Album: Short Bus
• Label: Reprise
• Year of Release: 1995
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: sinist3r-punk on 2009-01-09

Not until Filter's "Short Bus" had I realized how far one band can go with programming. Each song has an eerie untapped sound about it. Like the way punk bands used to record their albums at home on a 4-track. Everything sounds raw and untouched by any big head corporate types. Something that really jumps out at me about "Short Bus" is the way that the programming and bass go hand in hand. never have I heard such an interesting use of the bass and synthesis.

By now everyone has heard "Hey Man, Nice Shot", but I don't think everyone knows who sings it. I didn't know until I played Guitar Hero World Tour. That right there is one of Filter's key elements. They aren't a big time band who hogs all the spotlight. The complete opposite is in fact true. They tend to shy away from it, limiting themselves to singles to soundtracks, so that when you do hear one of their songs, it's a new and intriguing feeling.

The one thing that bothers me is the repititive nature. Every song can somehow be traced back to the opening track "Hey Man, Nice Shot". It is by no means bad, if it ain't broke dont fix it. But I don't think every song should sound like the offspring of "Hey Man, Nice Shot". But for a band to come out of the woodworks and throw themselves into the the open arms of the music industry, it's not a bad album by any means.

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