Blindside - Great Depression (14 tracks) +Album Reviews

The Good Ol' Blindside Boys

J. R. Morales | Puerto Rico | 08/05/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"No album of Blindside has been the same as the one before. Since 1994 Blindside has wowed listeners with musical brilliance and lyrical astuteness, and they do so again. The fans of their self-titled debut album, found "A Thought Crushed My Mind" to be an acquired taste with tracks such as "My Mother's Only Son" and "Nara." And again with "Silence" and once more with "About a Burning Fire". Like the previous albums, "The Great Depression" should be taken, to a certain extent, independently from their other releases. So, if you're looking for the "old Blindside," I don't think you'll find it in the way you expect.

You think you've got Blindside figured out? Think again. This album has a different taste, it's true, but just like the other four albums, it won't leave your stereo until the last song is played... at least. You'll find traces of the "old Blindside" in different songs. For example, "Come to Rest" appeals most to their self-titled debut, whereas "Put Back the Stars" reminds me of "Midnight" of their album "Silence." However, to really enjoy the music of this album, you need to dig deep in the lyrics. They talk about the Christian every day fight with themselves, not the devil, in order to give God the best of who they are. Words such as "Break my jaw, I don't care/ Just stay with me, Stay" stand out and us that it's better to be found in God at any cost, than to never find yourself in the world.

Truly deep words pair up with beautifully reflective music to provide a glance into who we are and what we should be. Oh, yeah, there are songs that take you back to each of the four last albums, but they have a new, familiar sound that you just can't not fall in love with."

The Great Blindside

S. Alix | NYC | 08/03/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This record is the album Blindside fans never saw coming. The band has reached such an emotional maturity in their musicianship that I am just torn apart inside by each song and all of the different images and moods they conjure up inside of me.They put away the catchy hooks that made About a Burning Fire so amazing and decide to focus more on mood and the thematic elements that make this more of a concept album than anything else.

Blindside stripped down their sound and have rebuilt it to give the guitars a much more creepier feel. Simon's melodies have a lovely way of pulling away just when you think they are going for the big catchy riff the band has become known for. He pulls away and instead Christians voice provides the hook and makes every song that much more powerful. The bass is the heart of this great depression as it keeps the tone and feel of the record consistent and the drumming adds a distant echo to the soft songs and a crashing insanity to the fewer hard songs.

This is definetly the kind of record that gives a band like Blindside the kind of artistic credit the genre seems to never receive by critics. The lyrics are some of Christians best and the "fun" lyrics of About a Burning Fire (Hooray for L.A., Swallow) are now set aside for much more deep and disturbing trip to the real flesh and bones of the front man we've known all these years. The song structures are disjointed and may put off some first time listeners but these are the kinds of songs that can grow on you while other songs on this album just grab you and won't let go.

So what should fans expect? This is the kind of experimental and emotional intensity fans have longed for since their sophomore record. With Silence they proved they had what it takes to play with the big boys but with About a Burning Fire and now The Great Depression they have proven themselves to be an artistic and sensitive band that is more than just hooks and catchy riffs. This is the album that seperates the casual fan from the diehard fan. This is Blindside for the ages, this is The Great Depression."

Masterpiece

J. Roughdale | Colorado, USA | 09/07/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am well aware that the reviews consist on a personal opinion, and to that I have no objection. But there are a few undeniable qualities that need to be pointed out.

Obviously, if you think that every song in this album sounds alike... you must be either deaf or musically challenged, or simply you haven't finished hearing the album. It'd be like telling me that "Yamkela" sounds like "My Alibi" or that "Come to Rest" sounds like "You must be Bleeding under Your Eyelids." Clearly, your judgment in music is misguided.

Aside from the fact that almost every single album ever released has one or two similar songs within the album (one can only make so many variations to a genre), Blindside makes every album sound differently than their last album released. To me, that is maturity. To have the musical wisdom to create and differenciate music and play it with talent. I will say that this album is shows maturity... just like "About A Burning Fire" showed it... just like "Silence" showed it... just like "A Thought Crushed my Mind" showed it. Maturity is not about sounding serious... it's about accepting the challenge to create unconformity.

Garage band? Hardly. Perhaps you haven't been to a concert of theirs, but truly... no garage band there. Rest assured that you will be jumping up and down or bobbing your head as the opening chords of "Yamkela" strike your ears. Don't fool yourself.

It's Blindside... that alone should be the spark that makes you say: "I knew this was going to be good!"

I am no hypocrite, I love Blindside BECAUSE I like their music and message... I don't go stomping on it, to then say: "I love you, Blindside." Don't fool yourself."

Prepare to have your face torn off

David Baker | Mount Vernon, Ohio United States | 08/09/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Once again, Blindside continues to refuse to be placed in the genre box. Are they hardcore? Sometimes. Are they catchy pop rock? Other times. Are they disco? Uh, yep...I hear a little bit there.

2005 finds us anticipating the fifth studio release of this Swedish band, and having given myself about five days to take it in, I can say without a doubt that the boys have done it again. From beginning to end, "The Great Depression" is a stellar example of what rock music should be.

Clearly, these guys know exactly where they are going and they have no problem getting there. Anyone standing in their way is going to get steamrolled.

No, this is not quite the radio friendly "Silence" era Blindside. Nor is it the extreme "A Thought Crushed My Mind" Blindside. If I had to compare them to anything, I would go all the way back to their debut self-titled album. Knowing that the band returned to their homeland of Sweden to record this album, it should be no surprise that it is, in many ways, a return to their roots.

From the beginning, Blindside was never a typical hardcore band. They had a front man screamer who could sing, for one thing (and they were doing that long before Linkin Park, thank you very much). They didn't rely on the easy riffs to get them through a song. They were always looking to do something different. But no matter how out there they went, it was always inspired songwriting with impecable performances. "The Great Depression" does not change that tradition.

The variety on this album is amazing. One of the heaviest songs you will ever hear, "Yamkela", will absolutely rip your face off. I just dare you to listen to this song and resist the urge to jump around the room. I hope I get a chance to see them play this one live soon.

Then there is the aforemention disco-like rhythm of "My Alibi", the frenzied building of "You Must Be Bleeding Under Your Eyelids", the barnburner "Come to Rest", and the more radio friendly "Fell in Love with the Game" and "We Are to Follow".

But don't think of those as the highlights. There are no highlights, my friend. This album, from beginning to end, is a highlight in and of itself. Every single song has worth and deserves its spot on the album. And there is no wussing out going on here. The album clocks in at nearly an hour and you really feel like you're getting your money's worth. These boys don't just play the same catchy chorus three times and move on. Each song is a journey, and I recommend you get to your local record store and take the journey ASAP."

Not the same Blindside, not a bad Blindside

Loughstein, J.E. | 09/12/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Truly, a different direction has been taken with this album... but, then again, when didn't they? They added violins and cellos, and 3x4 rithms in "A Thought Crushed My Mind"... heck, the hidden song is electronica (now, song #16 on th Re-Release)... a very different change from their self-titled debut. Again, with "Silence" they lessened the screaming and added melodic interventions... a very different direction than "A Thought Crushed My Mind." With "About a Burning Fire" the had their friend sing in "Shekina"... if you tell me that your face didn't twist in a knot when she started the first few notes on that song, truly you expect the unexpected... again, a different direction than "Silence."

And now, with "The Great Depression", they head towards a different direction. Someone posted their thoughts on the new album based on the first two releases... why isn't this objective? 1) Because, if you follow the trajectory of their releases, you'll know that you really can't compare one album to the other and 2) you aren't really in an argumentative position when you have missing information. It's like saying you know someone that you haven't seen in five years. You don't really know how that person has changed or what has happed to create that change.

This Blindside album is just another extraordinary piece of creativity. It might be a bit more pleasing to the radio, true, but who doesn't want their message to get out to the masses? I think, if anything, they should be congratulated for making an album that can reach out to a wider audience (via radio or whatever), not criticized. This album is melodic, powerful, emotional, and moving. It's aggressive and it's subtle. It simply has something for everyone."

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	Blindside Great Depression Genres: Pop, Rock, Metal, Christian & Gospel Track Listings (14) - Disc #1 Great Depression This Is a Heart Attack Ask Me Now We're All Going to Die Yamkela Put Back the Stars Fell in Love with the Game City Lights We Are to Follow You Must Be Bleeding Under Your Eyelids My Alibi Come to Rest (Hesychia) This Time When I Remember
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