Search - The Crystal Method :: Divided by Night

Listen Again

Cody Bailey | 05/13/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sure, Divided By Night is something different from TCM, however that being said it is still good. I bought the MP3 version this morning and have been listening to it all day since. This is not Vegas, Tweekend, or Legion of Boom, but it has brought together elements from all 3 previous albums and added some new flare. Many of the tracks have guest appearances and don't sound like TCM right away but they will grow on you including Dirty Thirty, Drown in the Now, Black Rainbows, and Kling to the Wreckage all of which are very enjoyable. Most of the guest tracks are much more vocal then previous albums, and that may throw off some people.



Beyond guest appearances this album has many other gems including the title track Divided By Night, Smile?, Double Down Under, and Blunts and Rainbows. There was only one track I was not a fan of and that was Come Back Clean, a little too poppy for me. Other than that TCM delivers from beginning to end. Don't judge this album on a 30 second preview or even you first listen through, it is a good album and deserves at least a second listen. I know I will definitely be listening to this album for years to come, and will gladly await for more new material from TCM."

CM - Please never do this again

Bill Patterson | Melbourne, FL United States | 06/05/2009

(2 out of 5 stars)

"When Amazon offered me a pre-sale on Divided By Night, I ordered it without hearing a single track. Crystal Method is my favorite band and I like every CD they've ever made. Until this one.



If I may be so bold as to document what I think is wrong with it....



Crystal Method has always used vocals. Usually, they use vocals much like instruments, weaving them seamlessly into the fabric of the music. The music comes out as a whole, holistic entity, pure Crystal Method all the way.



But this cd.... Oh my god! Crystal Method has taken the role of backup band or studio musicians to a bunch of unknown rappers and aspiring song birds!



Make no mistake about it, there are maybe two traditional Crystal Method songs on this cd (that's what the two stars are for). The rest of the songs are totally different and from different genre's.



You'll not be playing this CD at any Frat Parties, not if you want to have any friends left.



I'm not saying that all these songs are bad, they are just all over the place. No one person listens to this many different types of music, especially in one sitting. I've never used my Next-Track button so much on a Crystal Method CD before.



Disappointed guys. So sorry."

Good, not great. A quick, summary review.

Damien Schwader | Ft. Collins, CO United States | 05/13/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Personally, I think people are being a little hard. Even with stumbles, there is a lot to enjoy on this album. For a change, there is lots of variety and experimentation. There are a lot of new sounds and some stutter edits, which are cool to hear from TCM. I have finally realized that TCM loves making songs for car commercials.



The lyrics in most of the songs are awful. They keep at least the first 9 tracks energetic and/or interesting even if some of the tracks are ultimately ho-hum. Once again, TCM's time signature is insanely predictable.



For context I love Vegas. It took me a while to get into Tweekend, but now it is my favorite of theirs. Legion of Boom had some great tracks, but it was far too lazy. For Legion, they clearly only gave a crap about 3 or 4 tracks and it feels like they stuck previously "shelved" songs in between them. Drive was an interesting concept, but also a tad uninspired. It just didn't feel like much of a big deal.



The new album starts off pretty chill, but fun. Divided by Night is just a tight simple track reminiscent of Vegas work.



Dirty Thirty is definitely a standout track. Energetic mix of Vegas, Tweekend and Legion of Boom. Classic Crystal Method.



Drown in the Now starts off differently than what we've heard from TCM before. However, it quickly transitions into very classic Method. TCM's affinity for hip-hop shines through on this track. One thing that frustrates me about this track is that the vocals seem to compete with rest of the music from time to time. It has an interesting bridge - especially with the vocals. Pretty chill and haunting outro.



Kling to the Wreckage starts off great. Energetic and interesting. However, the vocals by Justin Warfield are mind-blowing awful, especially in the bridge because the rest of the music is an assault of sound. The track is very 80's synth pop inspired. Reminds me of a cheap David Bowie rip-off in regards to the vocals. Would have loved this song without Warfield vocals. First stumble.



Smile? Awesome track. TCM foundation, but definitely the first track that shows absolute growth from the band. The pace is a little laid back, but the bass work is a real delight.



Sine Language starts out a little slow, but very reminiscent of TCM in Vegas days. Awful, awful lyrics. Track quickly ramps up to Tweekend inspiration.



Double Down Under. Nice start. Energetic, could be a track bridging the gap between Vegas and Tweekend, yet it's strangely house/club at times. This is probably the third track on the album that injects a little 80's synth at times.



Come Back Clean. Just when I thought the last track was a bit more house that we've come to expect from TCM, we get this one. The bridges are ridiculously strange. Credit due for keeping the track unpredictable, which is a huge feat for TCM. Again, terrible lyrics. Even though I am so-so to the track, it stays energetic.



Slipstream. Reminiscent of Tweekend in the intro. While the vocals aren't my favorite, they are better than Kling to the Wreckage. Atrocious lyrics once again. However, the track turns into some adult contemporary trash during the verse. Eventually, the track brings down the tempo and becomes particularly fun. Interesting moments here and there, but this track really shouldn't have used lyrics.



Black Rainbows. Snore. No new territory for the band, nor would it be for any artist. The only TCM I hear in this song is their signature, slamming, raspy bass line. Otherwise, this is club trash and I expect better from TCM.



Blunts & Robots. Whew, I was starting to freak out a little with Black Rainbows. Reminiscent of Tweekend, but it comes into it's own. The bridge is a bit awkward though with the synth piano.



Falling Hard. As a fan of Delerium/Conjure One, I appreciate this track, but as mentioned several times, the track is completely out of place. It isn't a bad track by any means. It's nice enough, although the 80's clapping, drum track is super weird. Ultimately, this track completely ruins the pace of the album. What a downer!



Overall, this album is enjoyable, but forgettable, minus a few tracks. I appreciate that TCM kept the variety going this time around. It's something we haven't seen them do in a long time. Clearly, the duo were excited about this album, it's just a shame that the music doesn't do much to rise above passable. Tracks 1, 2, 3 and 5 are especially great, and worthy of a TCM record. The rest are throwaway. Shame, I really wanted to love this album, and instead I will put in on a shelf and revisit it on occasion to enjoy the tracks I really like."