Customer Reviews

The Bell and The Hammer

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I did a review on WAKING ASHLAND last year and it was my favorite CD of 2005, hands-down. I honestly didn't think a CD would come along that moved me that much for a long, long time! Well, the time came sooner than I ever expected. This is the best collection of songs I've heard since the album-oriented rock of the 70's! The atmosphere created right from the first track sets the tone for all 58 minutes plus on this gem. Even my teenage son, who loves EMO- screamo styled music, said he was intrigued by the vocal harmonies and the forlorn sound of the lead singer's voice. The music is almost haunting and desolate but it pulls you in and you get hooked. My first listen to the CD was in my car and I was having a conversation so I didn't pay close enough attention to really notice all the amazing instrumentation that was taking place. When I got home and put on the head phones, that's when I was completely blown away and taken into this second offering by THIS DAY AND AGE! THIS CD IS NOTHING LIKE THE FIRST CD!!! I really liked their first CD, but this one shows a lot more maturity and musicianship. There is no question that this band from Buffalo is the real deal! Now, they just need some publicity. I really enjoyed the use of the Fender Rhodes piano and the various keyboards that are featured throughout each song. The harmonies are some of the best I've heard and the guitars compliment the music extremely well. If you like WAKING ASHLAND, MAE, ROOKIE of the YEAR, COLDPLAY, or KEANE, you will definitely enjoy this CD. I heavily recommend this CD. It is a breath of fresh air, and not the same old stuff that everyone has been conditioned to like!!

well basically i wanted to write an entry on how incredible this album is. in all seriousness, it is one of the most musically inspiring albums i've heard in a while, and that's saying a lot coming from me.

despite having listened to the disc nearly non-stop on a 16-hour drive, i really don't want to comment on individual tracks but rather on the compilation as a whole.

if you have not heard of this day & age, i encourage you to check it out - you may be pleasantly surprised. if you've avoided the band because of "always leave the ground", their previous album (which was rather emo, albeit not "whiny" emo), you really should give them another chance because "the bell and the hammer" is nearly completely different in almost all aspects.

however, if you are already a this day & age fan, i can almost guarantee that you will enjoy this album regardless of how different it is from "always leave the ground". "the bell and the hammer" shows a great deal of musical maturity on the part of the band. there's a whole new set of influences apparent in this work, including a lot of ambient undertones. the whole album places a strong emphasis on tight harmonies and smooth lyrics. jeff (lead vocals) has a great, clean voice that complements the instrumentals well and is not whiny, harsh, or too overpowering.

all in all, you really owe it to yourself to check this album out.

First off, if you caught the reference in the album's title: kudos! If not, read C. S. Lewis's The Magician's Nephew.

Moving right along, This Day & Age is one of my favorite bands. Contributing to my brooding melancholy is the fact that soon after this album's release the band left us from an indefinite hiatus. Why do the pretty ones always die young? I say "pretty" because this album is quite pretty in its own way. There is a subtle beauty to songs like "Eustace" and "Of Course We've All Seen The Sun" that reminds me of the beautiful things in life. But there is a melancholy throughout this album. It is far from a "happy" CD, though not depressing. I would say the feel of it is best described by Straylight Run's ep Prepare to Be Wrong: moody and dark. Two words I thought I would never utter when describing This Day & Age.

The best tracks on the album are "More of a Climb, Less of a Walk," "All We Thought We Could," and the title track. For the lyrics in these three songs, this album would be worth it. But if you happen to be one of those who cares more about music than lyrics, you won't be disappointed. "Atmospheric" seems to be a word used to describe this album. I think it's fitting considering that the music gives you the sense of floating.

With The Bell and The Hammer, This Day & Age have pulled away from the usual confines of their genre to blend more influences into the traditional "piano-driven pop rock" ("Walking Contradictions" "Always Strait Ahead"). It's much more of an indie album than their last album, but it is still easy to see that it is still the same band (see songs like "Sara Poor Sara" and "Winter Winter Spring.")

To be honest, I am a bit bias since this is my favorite album of 2006, but for good reason.

Amazing, I am constantly blown away by this album. At first listen I didn't find it to out of the ordinary, but once I began listening closly to it I have found it's melodies intrinsic meshing almost seamlessly with the lead singers crisp clean vocals. every song is a story poetic, mature and fresh. This is the second release by this band. I've been a fan ever since their first album, however after listening to The Bell and the Hammer I'm amazed at how much this band has matured. I have been listening avidly to almost every style of music and I've never found anything quite like this album. It's not ground breaking but it's refreshingly new. It's a must have for fans of Mae, Copeland, Coldplay or Waking Ashland. The best tracks are in order The Bell and the Hammer, Sarah Poor Sarah, Eustace, and All We Thought We Could. I also suggest checking out the band Umbrella's

Saw this band opening for another band a very long time ago. Probably about 5 years ago now. As soon as they started playing I knew i had to have the CD. Usually when I buy a CD after hearing them live first i cant remember the song live after hearing it on the CD but they were so good live, i remembered each song that they sang during the concert when i listened to the CD on the way home. I also bought the cd before this one, Always Leave the ground, not long after the concert. If you like this CD and havn't heard the first one then go back and listen to that one. I am also going to start a petition to tell the original band to get back together. The band broke up a couple years ago due to some members not wanting to do music anymore and the remaining members formed Reign of Kindo. They have a similar sound but just aren't the same.

I bought "The Bell and the Hammer" by This Day & Age on a whim after stumbling across a couple of great songs such as "Clouds and Skyscrapers" and "The Day We Started" off of their earlier album, entitled "Always Leave the Ground". I was parousing the CD aisles while picking out some Christmas gifts back in 2006 when I came across this album. After remembering fondly the songs I mentioned earlier by This Day & Age, I decided to have some blind faith and purchase "The Bell and the Hammer". "What could it hurt? It's only 10 bucks" I thought to myself. This quick decision turned out to be the best musical decision I ever made.

This album tells the story of many different emotions associated with navigating through life, mainly in the area of relationships; but also tackles issues such as loneliness and depression and how some cope. The track "Sara, Poor Sara" tells us the story of a girl who seems to have given up hope. She feels her life is without worth. The song seems to try to convey to Sara that is is never too late to turn things around and that she owes it to herself and is completely worth it.

"Always Straight Ahead" made me think of the conflicting feelings we all have from time to time about our futures; the simultaneous pure hope and anxiety about the unknown. This song is beautifully crafted with soaring melodies, and very catchy guitar hooks. The story itself is enough to draw the listener in; notwithstanding the amazing music that ties it all together.

"More of a Climb, Less of a Walk" is my favorite song on the album and vaulted into my top songs of all-time. Flush with genuine emotion and a true sincerity rarely heard, this song immediately reels in the first-time listener with its guitar intro which is indicative of the beauty to come. For me, this song builds step by step and I am equally entranced everytime I listen to it. I feel the song illustrates a portrait of a relationship that never could quite get off the ground, but one that was very important to the narrator regardless of this fact.

"Eustace" is enchanting with its melody and emotional lyrics. The harmonies toward the end can be described as hauntingly good. This is the type of song that you will want to hear again immediately after your first listen.

"All We Thought We Could" is a great closer to a simply amazing album. The most raw and brutally honest track of the set, to me it speaks of the epiphany that one partner in a relationship has when he or she realizes that what was once a strong bond is now without hope and of knowing when to let go, no matter how hard that can be.

"The Bell and the Hammer" is a great blend of slower and faster paced songs with some that combine elements of both and build throughout. There is no way to say whether the lyrics or the music behind them are stronger, because they are both extraordinary and blend together perfectly and seamlessly. Soaring melodies, catchy guitar riffs, a few elements of ambient style ("Of Course We've All Seen the Sun"), and very polished vocals, coupled with truly heart-felt, thoughtful lyrics make this an album worth purchasing twice! (in case the first one gets damaged in any way!) Not giving this album a chance would mean truly missing out.

I am very satisfied with my purchase. It was shipped in excellent condition. Plays very well. No skipping or poor sound quality.

I could go on about how every detail of this album is perfect and complimentary to one another but then I would lose time I could spend listening to this masterpiece! Check out the clips here or find them on Myspace and I promise you won't be disappointed. This is the first album I've purchased in a long where the skip button goes untouched for hours. Sadly this band called it quits right before they would take over the world. But thankfully we still have this album and the surviving members of T.D.&A formed The Reign of Kindo which is an awesome jazz band I highly recommend. Don't delay and prepare for an album that restores your hope in original music.