Customer Reviews

Absence

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's tough to not sound like a pretentious music elitist when you are discussing something you feel very passionate about. So if I come across as one right now, I apologize right off the bat. If you can't find something to like in Paper Route, then you don't appreciate good music. It's even tough for me to try and translate my thoughts on this album when I can't even fully comprehend how complex it is.

Paper Route is a four piece band from Nashville Tennessee. The band was formed in 2004 after several other bands had disassembled. As of late the band has been touring with the heavyweights of the music scene today such as Paramore, Jack's Mannequin, and Copeland. Audiences and fans alike have been thoroughly impressed and have had nothing but great things to say about the band, mostly because they have only been touring on a couple EP's and haven't had a lot of material to work with, which brings us to the present place and time, April 28th 2009. Paper Route's debut album Absence is officially available. So how does it stack up? Let's just say that it's one of the best albums of 2009 so far.

Now, when I heard that Paper Route was going on tour with Paramore I gave them a listen and it was impressive. They had well written songs, but nothing really stood out to me, so going into Absence, I had no real basis to go by which made the album so amazing. It's was one of those experiences when you discover a band for the first time and are completely blown away and that overwhelming feeling of joy and adrenaline takes control of you. It is really unexplainable unless you have had it, but that's what music does to people.

Absence starts out with the a slow opener called "Enemy Among Us," which I probably wouldn't have picked as the starting track but its smooth melodies draw you in for more. "Wish" chases the slow opening track with more intensity and a better example of what the band is all about. Daly lays down the soft lines "The memories of losing you, you're like a ghost/ Tracing where I said to you/ I wish you would listen to get through it," over the mix of synth, samples, and catchy piano lines. "Carousel," the first single off the album probably has the most market ability for the band. Again, Daly sings about a relationship where things continue to go on until its gone too far. The chorus, as simple as it is, just seems to work, "On and on and on we go/ Just like a carousel that's lost control/ We don't know why, we don't know why/ We go, we go, we go in circles." While the song isn't too over the top, its pretty fast for their slow and melodic style. "Good Intentions" is probably my least favorite track on the album. Although it is filled with heavy lyrics, the background female vocals remind me of some backing track you would hear back in the 90's. "Tiger Teeth" contains a simple beat that almost has an oriental touch to it, but it isn't over done. The way the band blends their vocals, samples, and instrumentation is just pure genius. They seem to do things where you wouldn't expect them and it ends up working out for the best. "No Sudden Revelations" shows another one of the bands multiple personalities, displaying their style of post rock to the fullest; it starts off with soothing instrumentation and shows how Daly uses his voice as an instrument. As the song progresses, more layers are added with the various voices and chorus effect to boot. This ends quite abruptly as "Gutter" storms in with a heavy beat that sounds like The Wu-Tang Clan is about to drop some killer verses. Although they do not, it's quite alright as Paper Route demonstrate how to take a song with heavy synth and make it completely original and creative unlike other artists. To close, the album is "Dance On Our Graves" and it does so on a high note. Daly's repetition of the chorus "I need you now/ I need you now more than ever before" gets stronger as the song progresses. The album comes to a close with the final lines, "When we see the light when we're going home/ We'll dance on our graves with our bodies below/ We'll sing glory hallelujah," leaving you moved and wanting more.

I can see this record being the Illuminate of 2009 if people give it the chance. It hold the same credentials and value as that record and deserved to be heard. This is one of the most beautiful pieces of music I have heard in some time and it has been stuck in my head since I heard it. This band is definitely worth your time, so don't think twice about picking this up. With 2009 holding a lot of promises as far as music goes, this album will definitely live up to its expectations.

I absolutely love this album and find it refreshing to hear real original music. Buy this for sure.

I bought this cd for the song, "Carousel", because I heard it on a person's myspace. Little did I know that this is one AMAZING band. I couldn't stop listening to the cd; every song is well done. The music is beautiful and the lyrics are meaningful. I highly recommend buying this, as well as Paper Route's other ep's.

I had never heard of this up-and-coming band until I saw Copeland in Milwaukee, and these guys were one of the openers. Their sound is incredibly unique and intriguing, combining beautiful lyrics with well-written melodies and a skillful combination of typical rock instrumentation with synths and computer sounds. I bought their EP at the show and can't get enough of it! I'm excited for this debut full-length and highly recommend this band!

Soon as I heard them, they reminded me of the New Wave from the '80s... those were the days... lots of synth. They seem to have disappeared since then. Well, Paper Route brings them back and THEN some! It's mesmerizing and just excellent work. I hope to hear more from them...

love this cd, listen to it all the time! they were an opening band for a concert i went to and i fell in love and had to buy a cd.

This is an awesome album, it sounds great.

I highly suggest listening to this.

I had never heard of Paper Route until randomly catching a show while they were on tour with Young Love. They blew away their headliner and have continued to do so in every subsequent live performance I've been to. Their energy is incredible and addictive and they sound better live than on their album, as their pitch is perfect, their drummer is mindblowingly good and you can tell they love every minute of what they do.
Now, in reference to their album, Absence, I will say now that it is one of the best albums I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. I'm no music critic so I will say quite honestly and simply that Paper Route's debut album is really, REALLY good music. My personal favorite is Tiger Teeth, although most of my friends replay Gutter at least 2 or 3 times at every party. Are We All Forgotten is another stand-out track that has (I'm not afraid to admit) brought me to tears a few times as the lyrics are intense and have a spiritual aspect. The only song I'm not a huge fan of is the opening track, but it has its merits as well.
Ultimately, this is a band that I will be watching and recommending for a very long time to come and I can guarantee that one listen through the album will make anyone a fan.

I'm a Paper Route fan & initially felt disappointed by this album, but the more I listened to it the more I loved it. "Dance On Our Graves" is a favorite.

A heartfelt tone that resonates on so many levels...a must have if you like indie music but still flip on Kings of Leon occasionally. The lyrics are fantastic, but if your looking for literal lyrical stories keep looking, these guys put more depth into their work and it sure pays off. Paper Route's epic sound is addictive and you won't be dissapointed...the album is not a monotonous repeat of the same tones, and hook lines.
BUY IT!!! YOU'LL LOVE IT!!!