Customer Reviews

Deja Entendu

5 star:		(340)
4 star:		(61)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(17)
1 star:		(22)

 

 

Translate the title of Brand New's brand new album (heh) from French to English and you come up with "already heard." Fortunately for music listeners 'round the world, this is hardly the case. After my third listen, I believe it's safe to say that Deja Entendu can generally be described as "experimental". And emo. Very very emo.

Admittedly, after giving the disc an initial spin, I was shocked. What the heck happened to my Brand New?! Where's the poppy catchiness?! WHERE IS IT?! If any of you kids are looking for another "Seventy Times 7," you'd best try the next Taking Back Sunday album. Deja Entendu is mellow but harder, slower but more intense, and all out just incredibly DIFFERENT than the band's debut album, "Your Favorite Weapon."

I'd say the stand-outs are:
Track 4 - "Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't" - These lyrics are really something else. Starts off slow, builds up, then blows up.
Track 5 - "The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows" - The closest thing reminiscent of YFW. This song riffs like mad, and is easily one of the most mature songs Brand New has written to date.
Track 8 - "Me Vs. Maradona Vs. Elvis" - Basically just a really great song. Sounds a bit like "Soco Amaretto Lime". The melody is touching... very emotive.
Track 10 - "Good To Know That If I Ever Need Attention All I have To Do Is Die" - Crazy title, eh? This song is an epic seven minutes, full of catchy hooks, and perhaps the most experimental of the lot.

Bright Eyes fans will notice similarities between both bands' singers, especially in "I Will Play My Game Beneath The Spin Light" (Mr. Oberst would be jealous) and the acoustic and heartfelt "Play Crack The Sky." Also, there is generally a lot more singing on the album, whereas in the past, Brand New has been known for their "scream-a-long" type vocals. While the choruses come in with the dual vocals that are classic East Coast style (Taking Back Sunday, Thursday), they are slower here than on the last album.

Overall, Deja Entendu is surprising, and much unlike anything Brand New (or anyone) has ever done. My advice is not to write it off after the first listen. No, it won't "grow on you" (this isn't cancer, people, it's MUSIC), but you might be surprised if you give it another go. Don't miss out on what may be the best release of 2003.

When I first started getting into Brand New, I had downloaded "Seventy Times 7" and "The Shower Scene" (both on Your Favorite Weapon). Needless to say, I loved both songs, especially the former, and went out to buy the CD. It was more like your typical emo album - nothing truly original, just some well-written songs about heartache. Months later, when I picked up their sophomore album, Deja Entendu, I was surprised, but surely not disappointed. In fact, it went on to become one of my personal favorite albums - ever.
Perhaps you think that's stretching it a little, but then again, perhaps you haven't heard this album. It is evident that Brand New, Jesse Lacey in particular, has matured, both in songwriting and in terms of sound. From heavy bass lines to distortion to beautiful acoustic melodies, this album has something for everyone. While Brand New still focuses on heartache sometimes, like in "Sic Transit Gloria...Glory Fades" and "The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot," other songs on the album reflect different issues, such as cancer and greedy businessmen. And, as expected, Jesse's voice is ever-expressive. You feel the pain that he feels when he sings about his grandfather being diagnosed with cancer. Wherever he is, no matter what situation he's in, you're right there with him, experiencing every moment.
As in most reviews, I'll give a basic rundown of the songs.
1. Tautou - This is like an intro track. Clocking in at 1:42, the only lyrics are "I'm sinking like a stone in the sea/I'm burning like a bridge for your body". Not too much can be said for it, but it's a nice intro.
2. Sic Transit Gloria...Glory Fades - This song has some great bass. Really, it does. But music aside, this song is about a boy who's suddenly found himself in a situation where he's growing up a LOT faster than he actually wanted to. Surely a song where people can relate.
3. I Will Play My Game Beneath the Spin Light - This little number starts out acoustically, but builds. From what I can gather, it's about traveling and being homesick.
4. Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't - This is one of the first songs that I ever learned how to play on the guitar. Jesse's lyrics are honest as far as he's concerned, writing such lines as "Oh, it hurts to be this good" and "These are the words you wish you wrote down/This is the way you wish your voice sounds." Different styles of music are evident throughout.
5. The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows - Brand New's first single. I think. Either way, it's an excellent song. The bridge is, by far, my favorite part.
6. The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot - This is one of the true standout songs on this album. It's an apology from Jesse to an ex-girlfriend that he dumped for no reason. Mostly acoustic.
7. Jaws Theme Swimming - This song has a different sound than most songs on the album. It has a rather jazzy feel to it, I think.
8. Me vs. Maradona vs. Elvis - I love this song. It's...well, I guess that, in a sense, you could say it's brutally honest. Sample lyric: "I will lie awake/Lie for fun and fake the way I hold you/Let you fall for every empty word I say" Acoustic until the end.
9. Guernica - This is the song that Jesse wrote about his grandfather's cancer diagnosis. In it, he offers his own lungs and wishes that he could enter his grandfather's body and remove all of his cancer.
10. Good To Know That If I Ever Need Attention, All I Have To Do Is Die - This is my favorite song. Written about the greed of the men behind the music (i.e. lawyers and such), it's exactly 7 minutes long. I love the guitar part.
11. Play Crack the Sky - This is a well-written metaphor for the terrible world of heartbreak and heartache. Completely acoustic.
This album might be hard for some fans of Brand New (or, in particular, Your Favorite Weapon) to accept, but the change was a good one. Indeed, Jesse, himself, stated that, had they created another YFW, he felt that his fans would be cheated. Whether you're already a Brand New fan or not, I definitely recommend picking up this album, or at least giving it a good listen. You just might think that I made some sense.

I will be honest right off the bat. I never gave "emo" a chance, i am into grunge and led zeppelin and stuff, But when i heard this cd it blew my mind. I couldn't believe that a band acctually can still make good music today here is a song by song review of this great cd.

1.Tautou- This isn't the greatest song. It is still a nice "opener" song though. The emotional singing technique sounds good though. (3/5)

2.Sir Transit Gloria...Glory Fades- The bass riff in this blew my mind. The chorus hits you in the chest and blows you back. Lyrically it is very interesting Ive never heard another song like it. (6/5)

3.I Will Play My Game Beneath the Spin Light- This has a really cool acoustic intro and the chorus is solid. Overall it is a great song. My favorite part is the Bridge. (4/5)

4.Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't- Crazy name but and amazing song. This song is just unbelievable lyrically and musically. The bridge lyrics when just the bass plays blows my mind every time i hear it. (5/5)

5.The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows- This song is just great. The Chorus is so rock solid it scares me. The way he screams "The quiet things that know ever knows" gives me goosbumps. (5/5)

6.The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot- One word-- WOW. This song is so well written. It is by far one of the best acoustic songs i've ever heard. It is one of my favs on the cd. (6/5)

7.Jaws Theme Swimming- The main riff in this song is just pure genius. The song i think though kind of drags. Good solid Chorus though. (4/5)

8.Me vs. Maradona vs. Elvis- This song is really cool. It has some of the best lyrics of the cd. The way he sings this song is just amazingly genius. (5/5)

9.Guernica- This is an good song. The drums really move this song, which is cool. The Chorus is really really good. (5/5)

10.Good To Know That If I Ever Need Attention All I Have To Do Is Die- This song just really moves me from beginning to finish, even though it is long. The Chorus, again, is amazing. (5/5)

11.Play Crack The Sky- This song blew me away. IT is such a good song. Lyrically Musically and the he sings it is so genius. The end lyrics when there is like 3 layers of singing gives me goosebumps. (6/5)

All in All this cd really opened my mind that there really is good music out there still. The songs are really cool to sing to a girl (or boy) that you like, trust me they will be all over ya. But that is not what this CD is about, it is about good music. That is what life is for.

I bought this album pretty much on instinct about a month ago, not knowing exactly what to expect having only heard two songs and knowing very little about the band. It has proved to be one of my most satisfying purchases in absolutely ages.

Brand New could, I suppose, be classified as emo. But the fact is that they are so far ahead of their rivals that comparisons seem pointless. This, the Long Islanders' second record, is an album which genuinely transcends the barriers of its genre. The album opens with the almost gothic atmosphere of Tautou, with heavy tribal-sounding drums echoing like depth-charges through the murk. It's a short, effective opening mood piece, and out of it's ashes rises the bouncing cannonball bassline of the recent single Sic Transit Gloria...Glory Fades. The song draws comparisons between a boy's uncomfortable first sexual experience and the loss of the glow of youth, and rises to the screamed final conclusion of "Die young and save yourself!". Like pretty much every song here it's totally compelling in it's dark, poetic lyricism and unflinching detail, and the way in which it uncompromisingly combines anthemic pop-punk with genuine musical sophistication.

I Will Play My Game Beneath The Spin Light is a disillusioned rumination on touring and homesickness ("I would kill for the Atlantic but I am paid to make girls panic while I sing"), moving seamlessly from an acoustic opening to a sing-along pop chorus. The track which follows it, Okay I Believe You But My Tommy Gun Don't, is a real standout. It starts off with a sparse guitar accompaniment and singer Jesse Lacey's excellent vocals right in the foreground, before exploding into one of the best choruses of the last year. The cocky sheen of the lyrics ("Oh, it hurts to be so good") hides a soft, tender core of bitterness and self-doubt. It's so rare to hear a song with so many different levels to work on, especially one which sounds so good.

The truth is, there's so much to love about this band. The way that they deal so effectively and so poetically with subject matter most other bands wouldn't touch with a thirty-foot stick, and the way Lacey just keeps coming out with classic one-liners ("My tongue's the only muscle in my body that works harder than my heart"). The brilliant musical touches, like the siren guitar riff and awesome dual assault vocals in the chorus of the blistering first single The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows. The fabulously overblown and sometimes completely irrelevant song titles. The way in which Lacey can switch so smoothly between singing like an angel to belting out the most emotive scream you can imagine. The breathless soft/loud dynamic shifts which populate the album, and the band's equal affinity for frenzied rockouts like Sic Transit Gloria and for delicate acoustic pieces like The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot (see, another great title!). The way the darkness of the songs never stops them from being completely moving and easy to relate to. Honestly, I could go on and on.

It's also one of the most consistent albums I've heard in ages. Only the closer Play Crack The Sky is remotely short of excellent, having a lot of bad nautical metaphors and sounding somewhat uncomfortably close to a Dashboard Confessional B-side. Two more standout tracks are Me v Maradona v Elvis and Guernica. The former track combines the album's loveliest melody with it's most disturbing lyric. The song rides on a gorgeous, gently throbbing guitar line which evokes the warmest, mellowest summer evening you ever experienced, and yet although the lyrics deal graphically with the protagonist using a woman for sex ("Who will cast the first stone? You can sin or spend the night all alone"), there's never an uncomfortable overlap between the two aspects of the song. It just melts together seamlessly. Guernica concerns the cancer diagnosis of Lacey's grandfather, and has an incredibly poignant and honest lyric. It opens menacingly with machine-gun drumming and sharp guitars, and builds up to one of the most white-hot and searingly powerful middle eight sections I have ever heard.

This is a band with a hell of a lot of potential, and this is an album which is fiercely intelligent, both delicate and explosive, and in short damn addictive. It's a record which I can reccomend almost unreservedly to everyone on this site. On Tommy Gun, Lacey sings, "We admit to the truth - we are the best at what we do." You know what? I think they could be right.

-------Deja Entendu is an amazing, amazing C.D. Let's get that straight right now. If you do not own this album or havent illegally downloaded it yet, something is wrong with you. From start to finish, it is a masterpiece.
-------Deja begins with a semi-soft, spacey intro, entitled "Tautou", where Lacey and Co. repeat the simple lines "I'm sinkin' like a stone in the sea, im burning like a bridge for your body" over a loud drum beat and appregiated guitars. The cymbal crashes lead into "Sic Transit Gloria...Glory Fades" a song about a boy nervous during his first sexual encounter with a controlling girl. This song features some groovy bass work that makes the song memorable alone, not to mention the loud, catchy chorus.
--------At the end of Sic Transit, Lacey screams "Die young and save yourself!" Which immediately leads into the acoustic guitar in "I Will Play My Game Beneath The Spin Light" A song sung from the mouth of a tired, burnout Lacey, with lyrics such as "If looks could really kill, my profession would be staring" and "i am paid to make girls panic while i sing". This song ends with some crazy feedback which leads into the quiet palm muted guitar of the next song...notice a pattern with the segues yet?
-------"Okay I believe you, but my tommy gun dont" is a five minute song about and ego crazed person, who this person is, i do not know. With lyrics like "i am heaven sent, dont you dare forget;these are the words you wish you wrote down, this is the way you wish your voice sounds" we can tell that Lacey likes himself-alot. The loud guitars at the end of this song lead into the soft intro of the next one.
-------"The Quiet things that no one ever knows" is my second favorite song on the album. The simple, yet awesome sounding lead riff makes the song alone, throw in the catchy screaming of the chorus, in which lacey and i believe accardi trade of lines, its something you should all hear. this time the feedback is loud at the end but quiets down into the soft acoustic guitar off the next song.
-------"The Boy who blocked his own shot" is a softer song, with harsh lyrics. "its cold as a tomb, and its dark in your room, when i sneak to your bed, to pour salt in your, wounds." The lead guitar is very effect heavy, using phasers and such, it goes very well with laceys acoustic rhythm.
-------"Jaws theme swimming" has a bouncy little guitar line while lacey somewhat groans out the lyrics, until the chorus hits you like a ton of bricks and lacey and accardi do the trading off lines thing again, then breaks into a nifty little guitar solo and then we are off to the next song.
-------"Me Vs. Maradonna Vs. Elvis" is probably the slowest song on the cd, about an alcoholic girlfriend. it uses a soft chorused guitar as opposed to an acoustic, which would also be appropriate. The last chorus in the song features the whole band, and ends the song well.
-------"Guernica" is a song about laceys grandfathers battle with cancer, and how he feels hopeless about it. 'if i could i would shink myself, sink through your skin to your blood cells, cure whatever makes you hurt, but i am too weak to be your cure"
-------"Good to know that if i ever need attention all i have to do is die" is a catchy song that clocks in at 7 minutes exactly, featuring somewhat abnormal guitar work and powerfull basslines, the song is good and doesnt seem as long as it is.
-------Ahhhh. the last song on the cd. that was quick, we are here, "Play Crack the Sky" is AMAZING. the best song on the cd in my opinion, it has no actual chorus, and clocks in at around 5:30. Its mostly just Lacey and an acoustic with a little backing vocals until the end which features the whole band either mimicing or echoing lacey, and it is something you must hear. the song ends with jesse putting down his guitar and leaving the room singing a song.
-------
Musicianship-5/5
Lyrics-5/5
Length-5/5
Vocals-5/5
Packaging-5/5
Overall-Believe it or not-5/5

Buy this cd, now.

Like many reviewers before me I've had this album for a while now and as the new album nears I wanted to take time to appreciate this one. I bought it the day it came out, I remember precisely because it was two days before my birthday and I was dying with anticipation to hear the album. I remember when I first heard Brand New late March 2003, I was sitting around downloading music when I read something about Brand New somewhere and decided to download "Soco Amaretto Lime," a song off their first album Your Favorite Weapon. I Remember instantly falling in love with that song when they sang "You're just jealous cause we're young and in love," over and over as it came to a unexpected end. I quickly downloaded the whole album and listened to it religiously. A week later I went out and bought it. Fast forward three months or so and I find out they are releasing a new album. At this time I hadn't gotten over how great "Your Favorite Weapon" was and I was ecstatic about getting new music from them. June 17, 2003 finally comes and I head to my local Best Buy and pick up "Deja Entendu," not knowing I had just purchased the single greatest album I've ever heard. I know it sounds crazy to give it such praise but that day I got home and from the afternoon that I picked it up till late that night I sat in my room listening to every song reading every lyric in the cd booklet. I loved how Jesse's voice had matured from Your Favorite Weapon. I could tell how he had perfected his lyrics and to say I was impressed would be an understatement.

The album opener, "Tautou" could not have been orchestrated any better as Jesse almost whispers "I'm sinking like a stone in the sea, I'm burning like a bridge for your body," and Brian pounds on the drums in a ritual type of way. "Tautou" fades to an end and Garret's infectious bass line invades your ears in "Sic Transit Gloria...Glory Fades," kicking the album into full gear. You can't help but feel a sharp shiver down your spine as Jesse yells "Die young and save yourself." After "Sic Transit," the guys slow it down a bit with "I Will Play My Game...." A song about being homesick and longing to be with loved ones noted by the lyrics "I won't see home till spring, oh I would kill for the Atlantic". I love when he sings "If looks could kill, then my profession would be staring." Next is one of my favorite tracks on the album "Okay I Believe You...." Jesse sings for exactly two minutes and nine seconds before ever getting to the chorus. The lyrics in this song are absolutely amazing as he declares "I am heaven sent don't you dare forget." Once you listen to this song you'll wear out your repeat button. After that comes their single "The Quite Things No One Ever Knows." I fell in love with this song when I first heard. The chords in the beginning of the song are amazing. The chorus is solid as Jesse and Vinnie sing "Keep the blood in your head, keep your feet on the ground." After "The Quite Things..," they get into "Jaws Theme Swimming." I must admit when first getting the album this was one of my least favorites, one which I would skip often, but after awhile I gave it a chance and I couldn't have been more wrong. The next song is one very close and dear to me. I lost my grand father last year and this song helped me through the pain. The song is called "Guernica." Guernica is one of the most famous paintings by Pablo Picasso, depicting the consequences of the bombing of Guernica. The song starts off with a thunderous drum pattern that captures your attention immediately. And the emotion in Jesse's voice is astounding as he sings "A phone call I'd rather not receive, please use my body while I sleep, my lungs are fresh and yours to keep, kept clean and they will let you breathe." Then he sings of how helpless he is about not being able to do anything as he loses someone close to him through the lyrics "If I could I would shrink myself and sink through your skin to your blood cells Remove whatever makes you hurt, but I am too weak to be your cure." After "Guernica" its "Good To Know If...," this is one of the weaker tracks, but it's still really delightful. The lyrics are phenomenal. The last song "Play Crack The Sky," is what I would argue the best song ever written and my most favorite song ever created. Once again I know it's a huge statement to say such a thing but once one listens to it and really understand the lyrics of how Jesse is using a sinking ship as a metaphor of a dying love its hard not to agree with me. At the end of the song from the point he sings "This is the end, this story's old but it goes on and on until we disappear," if you follow the lyrics and listen closely you could hear more than four or five layers of voices. It's almost haunting; I get chills every time I listen to this song. All my words could never do this album justice, give them a chance and experience Deja Entendu yourself.
Remember to check them out live, I've seen them twice and their live show is incredible.

(...)

To say that Deja Entendu is one of the best of 2003, is purely an exercise in one wasting breathe. However, I am going to do it anyway: Brand New's second release Deja Entendu is easily one of the best records of 2003- if not the best- and probably of the new millenium.

As far as the songs go, there isn't a bad one. From the opener Tautou to the haunting Play Crack the Sky, the boys from Brand New do not step wrong once. I will admit, I am usually more into the harder stuff, ie Isis, Neurosis, Dillinger Escape Plan, etc. However, Brand New's new album is just so damn good. I hardly ever review music on Amazon, but this album has caused me to get off my butt and plant it at my computer to write this. Which is testament enough of how good they are. I am not into labels, I don't know, nor care, what all of you want to call Brand New. I find your desire to label and pinch them into a category to be incredibly ironic. If any of you actually listen to either of Brand New's albums you realize that they loathe and despise such categorization. The pure cream of the crop of this album is easily Me vs Maradona vs Elvis, OK, I Believe You but My Tommy Gun Don't, Play Crack the Sky, Sic Transit Gloria...ah hell, listen to them all. My personal favorite is Me vs Maradona vs Elvis. And that leads to why I think alot of people don't really get the underlying tones to these albums.

(...)

Deja Entendu french for 'All ready Heard' has been around for a while now but I only recently purchased it after hearing the two obvious singles from the album. At this point I believed they were just another American Punk band with easy to relate lyrics and catchy songs. Into my third or forth listen I began to realise this band had so much more to offer than their counter parts 'Blink 182, Good Charlotte etc'. Jesse Lacey states clearly in all his interviews that he tries to be as honest as possible with the Lyrics he writes and this is definitely the case with this album. As in one song he sings referring to their first album "I spoke the words but never gave a thought to what they all could mean" a good debut but with far less thought than this follow up. It's an album that on first listen will seem like every other new punk band but give it time and it will blow you away as you begin to understand the feelings and Complex Ideas that Jesse portrays through the words he sings.

1.Tautou; Sets the tone of the album and shows the growth of the band immediately. 9/10

2.Sic Transit Gloria ... Glory Fades; Funkiest bass line on the album and very quick clever lyrics that keep the track beating at a fast pace. Good opener and an obvious choice for a single. 9/10

3.I Will Play My Game Beneath the Spin Light; Good acoustic song about the troubles of being on tour. A song that will appeal more with every listen.8/10

4.Okay I Believe You, But My Tommy Gun Don't; The constant repeated riff and the gradual progression of lyrics shows the intelligence of this band as they build for the chorus that seems to take ages to arrive. One of my favourites. 10/10

5.Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows; Another obvious single but a good driving verse with cool riffs in the chorus. 8/10

6.Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot; My favourite song on the album and probably the simplest. The repetition of "if it makes you less sad" shows Jesse offering a range of ways to make a split with an ex just that little easier. The emotion in the song is so honest and thoughtful, great song! *10/10

7.Jaws Theme Swimming; complete contrast to the majority but shows the jazz skills of Vin Accardi (guitar) obtained as a young guitarist studying with a jazz professor. Good album track that strengthens the album.8/10

8.Me vs. Maradona vs. Elvis; Another slow song that doesn't seem to get going but that's what makes it stand out as you have no choice but to concentrate on what Jesse is saying. Fears about being a huge success and then blowing it all on Booze and Drugs as was the case with the two examples.10/10

9.Guernica; Very powerful because of the pounding of the music and the pain in the lyrics felt by hearing of his grandfathers diagnosis of cancer. Brilliant song. 9/10

10.Good to Know That If I Ever Need Attention All I Have to Do Is Die; I have the English release of the album with a different track that seems heavily influenced by the British band Coldplay. Musically a great track. 9/10

11.Play Crack the Sky; This comparison of a ship struggling to stay a float seems to represent the struggles of being in a band. An intelligent song with a cool layer of backing vocals, which is a trade, mark of Brand New and they use it perfectly. 9/10

anyone who has listened to brand new before - Your Favorite Weapon style (their freshman, and most recent album before Deja Entendu) - this new cd may come as quite a shock. when i first played it for my friend elisa i recall her saying something along the lines of, "did they get a new singer?!", somewhat jokingly, but yet a legit question upon first listen. jessee seems to be trying a couple new things with his vocals on this album, which, in my opinion, actually added quite a lot to the overall sound on this record. song number 3 particularly, which i won't name here because i'm horrible at remembering song names, is very lyrically unlike anything you may have remembered from Your Favorite Weapon. i have to admit, that when i first heard it i wasn't sure how well he pulled it off, but after the second and third listen it quickly became one of my favorite songs on the album. there's also somewhat of an intro to this cd, once again unlike their previous release. the inclusion of this prelude does a fair job of setting the mood of the album and preparing people for the music that lies ahead. for anyone anticipating to hear the characteristic upbeat, singing about how much i hate my ex-girlfriend songs that were so abundant on your favorite weapon - forget everything you know about brand new, this isn't high school. don't complain because this cd is not exactly identical to the sound of their last album, that is not what makes a band extraordinary. perhaps i can appreciate the transition brand new has made because my life seems to parallel it. your favorite weapon was like the soundtrack to my final year as a high school student. the release of deja entendu came at the perfect time in my life, as i finished my first year in college. the lyrics have matured, their sound has been elevated to the next level, they're taking that next step necessary to make them an even greater band. all the while, don't be discouraged that the brand new you have come to know and love has done a complete 180 or anything - the characteristic spiteful lyrics and harmonization in all the right places are still present, and they've even taken the liberty of adding a little well-placed screaming into the mix. this album shows a lot of growth, maturity,and dare i say risk - in the fact that they were willing to stray from what they may have been comfortable with and experiment with a different sound. i may not know what deja entendu means, but i do know that brand new has managed to be one of the few bands that can put out two great cds in a row, without being monotonous or becoming too full of themselves in the process.

Look, people can use all the adjectives they want to describe how good this album is, but it doesn't do it justice. Buy the cd...you don't like this kind of music?, take a risk, buy it. Put some headphones on, close your eyes and listen, and if you have any shred of humanity in you, you'll be moved. You'll probably shed a tear at some point, Hell you might even cry. You might not admit it later on here but you really liked it. It's okay, everybody likes some band or type of music or song that they won't admit to liking.