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List Price: $9.98 | | Label: Hybrid Recordings
Salesrank: 11954
Released: August 8, 2006 |
| Our Price: $2.17 |
| Used Price: $1.99 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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Major Lodge Victory Track Listing:
1. Learning the Hard Way
2. Come on Hard
3. Someday Soon
4. Heart Shaped Locket
5. End of the World
6. Long Time Gone
7. Super Girl
8. Let's Play Two
9. Curious Thing
10. Jet Black Sunrise
11. Fool for the Taking
12. California Sun
Editorial Review:
After a string of hits across the first half of the nineties, the Gin Blossoms disbanded by the decade's end. With the appearance of a greatest hits collection continuing to keep their songs alive, the band did a reunion show that led to a full fledged tour in 2002. Returning to the studio with a dozen new songs, Major Lodge Victory is their first new album in ten years. It's full of guitar hooks wedded to emotionally evocative lyrics ("I promise I won't hurt you anymore" "Mama said your life wouldn't be too easy, that's about the only thing she said at all"), most songs being by band founder Jesse Valenzuela. Robin Wilson's lightly vibratoed vocals have an evocative presence that call to mind Richie Furay (Buffalo Springfield anyone?). The band manages to be at once crisp and powerful, occasionally finding grooves to settle into, but never straying far from the dramatic needs of each song. --David Greenberger
Major Lodge Victory Reviews:
Thanks for the History Larry 
2009-08-13 - I don't get the bad reviews. NME was the perfect album, would be hard to top, but that does not make this, or the other releases (and Gas Giants, Poppin Wheelies) bad. Sure, a little more gloss, not so deep in lyrical content, but still all worthy of the praise that is in the majority. I just saw them live outdoors, Robin Wilson is from the area so they perform often and sometimes for free (HOW COOL IS THAT !!). Announced that they are working on another release, can't wait.
Total Victory with Major Lodge Victory!! 
2008-12-23 - This CD is awesome!!
It's hard to think that the Gin Blossoms were gone so long. And now that they have reunited, they have proved that they have so much more to offer.
I put on Major Lodge Victory, and it was filled, from start to finish, with the great melodies, harmonies, and chord changes that made the Blossoms so great.
Listen to "Learning The Hard Way," "The End Of The World," "Curious Thing," "Heart Shaped Locket," "Come On Hard," "Long Time Gone," etc. etc. and tell me if your feet don't start tapping or your head starts bopping. Pure power pop.
Gin Blossoms, you haven't missed a beat!
Good enough no matter it's not like before
2008-10-24 - The first times I listened to this cd I just thought it was unnecessary the reunion of these great musicians.
It had to pass some time, then, when I was more relaxed I could find again that blue rocked sound with brilliant notes that made me love the Gin Blossoms.
Of course my best favorite is still the NME, but defitely I feel good enough this later album. I recommend it!
Gin Blossoms... Updated and Rockin' On
2008-09-04 - I bought Major Lodge Victory the same week as I got a new car and it was great timing. This is the perfect cruising CD for a sunny day, or any day that you want to make seem sunny.
New Miserable Experience is one of my Top 10 Favorite Albums of All Time, so that's my reference point. MLV has a teeny bit of polished pop which could have become bad saccharine but didn't. The vocal and guitar tones are crisp and clean with a little caffeine. I'm surprised it's so good without Doug. Rock on.
Major
2008-05-11 - One of the most oft-told myths of the 90's alternative music scene is that Gin Blossoms were a lesser band without the songwriting of Doug Hopkins, who wrote their big hits Hey Jealousy and Found Out About You. Now I happen to agree that the latter song is one of the great songs of the 90's and it's in my personal all-time favorites list and nothing they've done since has equaled it, but it's still just one song......and a re-listen of Congratulations I'm Sorry and Major Lodge Victory should prove beyond a doubt that the Hopkins myth is mis-guided. He was a gifted songwriter to be sure, but Robin Wilson, Bill Leen, and Jesse Valenzuela (the principal writers since) have crafted two, very deep, albums since then, full of good songs.
And that's what's great about Congrats and Lodge: They're chock full of great songs, and noticeably lacking any bad ones, or even ones that smack of being "filler" material. The songs take advantage of Wilson's clear voice, with Valenzuela backing him, and the terrific guitar playing of Valenzuela and Scott Johnson. It's just a pleasure to be able to listen to a guy who can actually sing (and not wail), where I can understand pretty much every piece of lyric coming at me, and Robin Wilson delivers that.
My only real complaint is that Major Lodge Victory took 10 years to come out. I hope their next album will see the light of day a lot sooner than that, I'm looking forward to it.
