Search - Sunny Day Real Estate :: Diary (Remaster)

Seth D. (4wallz) from SPARTA, TN
Reviewed on 1/3/2012...

I refuse to use the term EMO to describe this cd. Because EMO anymore implies some guy whining about his girl problems to a noisy guitar, or an acoustic guitar. This album is more than that. Although you can see why EMO borrowed from this record whole souled. And in case you are wondering what EMO is, it means emotional music.
It was released on May 10, 1994 and is the seventh best selling cd on Sub Pop records with over 231,000 copies sold.
Not really a success when viewed through big record producer specs. But at the same time a very moving and important record which changes most people who give it a chance. The songs are rocking and haunting somehow at the same time. This is for a fact indie music. Nothing is really radio friendly here. But still catchy somehow. The artwork in the album is amazing too. 100% worth buying the remastered version if you are a new fan.
But what if you've been a fan for years? Is it worth if you have the cd already? Well, you get two bonus songs from the 7 inch vinyl "Thief, Steal me a Peach." And while "8" is already on "LP 2", this is a different version . Also "9" is cool. And believe it or not the cd sounds better now too. More clear and less muddied. Worth the moolah to me.
Whether a new or old fan, I endorse this cd. ;)

It's a Tough Call

J. Lemke | Davidson, NC USA | 12/11/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Sunny Day Real Estate's debut is one of the coolest CDs I've heard in a while. Their stuff is provocative, original, and best of all, not easy to like. This is the kind of album where learning to appreciate it is an achievement. My first time through, it seemed devoid of melody with enough grating screams thrown in to make it a bit of a chore to listen to. But on my second time, I found that the subtle melodies were secretly brilliant, and simply overshadowed by the strange, harsh sound of the music.



Tracks 1-3 and 7-9 are extraordinary, featuring sweet guitar riffage and brooding, dark melodies. The rest of the tracks are not your typical filler. The problem is that they have a tendency to go from pleasant, dark melody to ferocious, unrestrained yelling and grungy guitar with no breaks. They are difficult to listen to and not as strong as the 6 tracks I listed. My favorites are "Shadows," which has a strong enough melody and guitar-line to make up for the yelling vocal, and "Pheurton Skeurto," a brief, lilting piano ballad that I've grown to love after a few listens.



Overall, I'm glad I bought this, but if you're looking for easy thrills, you won't find them here. This music takes time and at least a limited musical intellect and appreciation to get into. But it's worth the trouble."

Worth Upgrading to the Remastered Release!

uoozuman | 09/21/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In this age of digital downloads and MP4 magic, I was tempted to go with the download. I could not be happier that I spent the extra buck and went with the hard copy! The new packaging and booklet are worth the purchase alone, not to mention how much better everything sounds. These songs finally received the treatment they have deserved all these years."