Customer Reviews
Great Third Album 
2008-05-30
This is a great third album by TOAD. I like every song on this album. The lyrics to So Happy and Hate my Life are excellent. There is not a bad song on this entire album.
They put on a great live show as well.
Buy this album!!!!!!
Give Due Credit 
2008-05-20
There is one awesome song on this CD. What makes it so good is a complete lack of originality. Take a little AIC and go a long long way.
Scars and Souvenirs 2008-05-19
Like a fine wine Theory conitues to improve with each album they release. Keep up the good work guys!!!
Quality Theory 
2008-05-16
I have followed this band since their days of pre-signing with a major record label, and I for one totally appreciate this album. I don't much listen to Crutch or the last song on the album but everthing else is great, if you like Theory. I love the way they have progressed on this relaese. They seem to have concentrated more on their melodic ability and their great harmonies. Most songs are 100% radio playable and most all could be instant hits. They have improved their song writing, with more songs about things that relate to everyone's lives. And the addititon of a song written with Chris daughtry is killer....it's called BY The Way, which is so far my favorte. I promise you'll enjoy it.
Blatent trash 
2008-05-06
Change your name to Theroy of A Nickleback. A cheap rip off of a horrible no talent band. Nuff said.
Never heard of Nickelback 2008-07-19
Just kidding, of course I've heard of them. But EVERYONE sounds like Nickelback, or rather everyone sounds the same to me these days in this genre of music. Actually this TOAD album reminded me more of Hoobastank, but I digress. I think all of these types of bands have a 5 string bass guitar - they all love to hit those big fat low string notes. I'm actually a guy in his 40s and don't know as much about the bands in this genre of music as most of you do, so I am not influenced by how much they may or may not sound like Nickelback. I had heard Bad Girlfriend on a video running through my cranked up stereo and really liked it, very catchy with a hard driving beat. I thought the video and lyrics were funny, obviously satire (as is the song Hate My Life). But after I heard it, I got on here and listened to the clips of their other songs and downloaded the whole thing. I'd never even heard of these guys before. I'm an old guy still looking for someone to match Boston I (I'll go to my grave waiting for that to happen). But having cut my chops on Boston I and early Rush in 70s and early 80s, most bands today are absolute total letdowns when it comes to measuring how complex the music is compared to Boston, Rush, Emerson Lake and Palmer, et el. No one comes close to having this type of talent anymore to lay down such complex tracks. Why do I rant about all this? Because I think it is amusing to read these reviews and watch you guys worship Nickelback and insinuate that bands are imitating Nickelback - when Nickelback sounds to me like a rip-off of the early grunge stuff out of Seattle in the early and mid 90s. I like Nickelback but why worship them as so unique? They all sound the same I think. OK - having said my peace - I really like this album. It is straight ahead rock and roll, good harmonies, humorous though explicit lyrics in some songs, some good riffs, power chords, low driving bass notes, good mix of hard vs ballad. I've not heard the first two albums from these guys, but I can understand TOAD fans not liking this one if the band has given up their "edgy" music and made this more like rock-pop. I would probably be disappointed too. But, not being influenced by their early stuff, or anyone else currently for that matter, I thought this album was great on its own. I give it 4 stars, because, well, the only album that I will ever give 5 stars to is the one that is on the same level as Boston I. And that will never happen.
Its a pity I have to give it a star 2008-07-16
To imitate Nickleback is bad enough, but this takes bad to a whole new dimension. Where to start, banal riffs, souless production, unbelievably uninspiring arrangments and some of the greatest lyrical crimes ever committed. Painful.
On second thought, it only deserves one star. 2008-06-09
It saddens me to write this review for a band in Theory of a Deadman that has produced some of my all-time favorite music. "Scars and Souvenirs" represents one of the wisest purchase decisions I have made in quite sometime in that I did not actually purchase it for myself; it was, rather, a gift for someone else, and therefore I had the chance to listen to it and decide if I wanted a copy for myself before actually buying my own copy.
The answer to that would be a definite "no." It pains me to write this, but there really were not three songs on this album that I liked. Two songs, that's it. "So Happy," while being far from original, is a decent tune, even with the blatant ripoff (or homage, depending on your perspective) of Alice in Chains on that introductory vocal harmony. The next song, "By the Way" is also a solid track and possibly the best cut on the record. It is something of a ballad, but its somewhat darker tone definitely reminded me of some of the material from the band's self-titled record - a good thing in my book.
After that, I got nothing. Musically, the only other point on the entire record that stands out to me is the first twenty seconds or so of "Bad Girlfriend" - or basically until the lyrics begin. Now, Theory of a Deadman have never really been Shakespeare when it's come to lyrical matter, but for the past two records, the lyrics were usually at least decent and if not the most original, then at least they seemed sincere. The lyrics on this record, for the most part, come across as absolutely banal and insipid. "Bad Girlfriend," especially, comes across as a cheap imitation of Buckcherry's "Crazy Bitch," a song that I can't understand why anyone would want to imitate in the first place.
This record is chock full of ballads, and unlike previous TOAD ballads such as "In the Middle" or the amazing "The Last Song," none of them are the least bit memorable. Instead, they all seem like desperate attempts at securing some moderately successful singles which will shortly thereafter fade into total obscurity. Also, I'm not sure who handled the production for this album, but there was a lot of what can only be described as "excessive crap" thrown into the songs. There are several songs with some sort of electronic beats or even an organ at one point which, while being potentially great ways to add some spice to the sound if executed properly, nonetheless add absolutely nothing to the song and come across as nothing more than superfluous garbage.
One other song which could have been nice to hear was "Hate My Life." While certainly not the least bit original, it is a nice playful little tune that would have been an interesting change of pace on an album like "Gasoline." After suffering through the previous six songs on this album, though, it just comes across as annoying.
If you are a newcomer to Theory of a Deadman, having just heard "So Happy" on the radio, I'd recommend downloading a single copy of "So Happy" and then checking out "Gasoline" before buying this. Not only is it simply a better album in my opinion, but the songs you'll find on that album are actually much more similar to "So Happy" than those found on "Scars and Souvenirs." For older fans of the band, definitely take a listen before you buy it. It is a way, way different sound that will no doubt be appealing to some, but for those like me, it will simply leave you asking, "Why...?"
Diversification Through Evolution 2008-06-08
Until they do something completely groundbreaking, ToAD won't be able to shake its association with Chad Kroeger/Nickelback because of their method of discovery coupled with their 604-RoadRunner Records contracts management.
However, that doesn't mean Tyler Conn0lly and the rest of Theory of A Deadman are incapable of producing enjoyable music. "Scars and Souvenirs" is a great example of musical maturation by a band with incredible potential. Though the album's sound and lyrical content are by no means revolutionary or particularly insightful, there are indications that the band is taking necessary steps to find its own niche in mainstream alternative. The arrangements, schizophrenic as they are, seem to be less palatable than those of Nickelback's, and there is a genuine nature behind Connolly's writing.
Compared with their debut and sophomore albums, "S&S" isn't afraid to venture for a slightly more mellow approach, instead of drilling songs into your brain. Nonetheless, this album is more than worthy of a listen.
toad dissapoint me 
2008-06-03
Iam sorry but there is no way this album is as good as there other efforts.The songs are much slower and the song writting not as good .Iknow every swears now and then ,but whats they point in every other song,maybe its me but i think cleaner words could be used.They are a few good songs on here but not enough for me to recondmend it.My opinon buy the other two there much better
