Customer Reviews

Great Depression

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

No album of Blindside has been the same as the one before. Since 1994 Blindside has wowed listeners with musical brilliance and lyrical astuteness, and they do so again. The fans of their self-titled debut album, found "A Thought Crushed My Mind" to be an acquired taste with tracks such as "My Mother's Only Son" and "Nara." And again with "Silence" and once more with "About a Burning Fire". Like the previous albums, "The Great Depression" should be taken, to a certain extent, independently from their other releases. So, if you're looking for the "old Blindside," I don't think you'll find it in the way you expect.

You think you've got Blindside figured out? Think again. This album has a different taste, it's true, but just like the other four albums, it won't leave your stereo until the last song is played... at least. You'll find traces of the "old Blindside" in different songs. For example, "Come to Rest" appeals most to their self-titled debut, whereas "Put Back the Stars" reminds me of "Midnight" of their album "Silence." However, to really enjoy the music of this album, you need to dig deep in the lyrics. They talk about the Christian every day fight with themselves, not the devil, in order to give God the best of who they are. Words such as "Break my jaw, I don't care/ Just stay with me, Stay" stand out and us that it's better to be found in God at any cost, than to never find yourself in the world.

Truly deep words pair up with beautifully reflective music to provide a glance into who we are and what we should be. Oh, yeah, there are songs that take you back to each of the four last albums, but they have a new, familiar sound that you just can't not fall in love with.

This record is the album Blindside fans never saw coming. The band has reached such an emotional maturity in their musicianship that I am just torn apart inside by each song and all of the different images and moods they conjure up inside of me.They put away the catchy hooks that made About a Burning Fire so amazing and decide to focus more on mood and the thematic elements that make this more of a concept album than anything else.

Blindside stripped down their sound and have rebuilt it to give the guitars a much more creepier feel. Simon's melodies have a lovely way of pulling away just when you think they are going for the big catchy riff the band has become known for. He pulls away and instead Christians voice provides the hook and makes every song that much more powerful. The bass is the heart of this great depression as it keeps the tone and feel of the record consistent and the drumming adds a distant echo to the soft songs and a crashing insanity to the fewer hard songs.

This is definetly the kind of record that gives a band like Blindside the kind of artistic credit the genre seems to never receive by critics. The lyrics are some of Christians best and the "fun" lyrics of About a Burning Fire (Hooray for L.A., Swallow) are now set aside for much more deep and disturbing trip to the real flesh and bones of the front man we've known all these years. The song structures are disjointed and may put off some first time listeners but these are the kinds of songs that can grow on you while other songs on this album just grab you and won't let go.

So what should fans expect? This is the kind of experimental and emotional intensity fans have longed for since their sophomore record. With Silence they proved they had what it takes to play with the big boys but with About a Burning Fire and now The Great Depression they have proven themselves to be an artistic and sensitive band that is more than just hooks and catchy riffs. This is the album that seperates the casual fan from the diehard fan. This is Blindside for the ages, this is The Great Depression.

Once again, Blindside continues to refuse to be placed in the genre box. Are they hardcore? Sometimes. Are they catchy pop rock? Other times. Are they disco? Uh, yep...I hear a little bit there.

2005 finds us anticipating the fifth studio release of this Swedish band, and having given myself about five days to take it in, I can say without a doubt that the boys have done it again. From beginning to end, "The Great Depression" is a stellar example of what rock music should be.

Clearly, these guys know exactly where they are going and they have no problem getting there. Anyone standing in their way is going to get steamrolled.

No, this is not quite the radio friendly "Silence" era Blindside. Nor is it the extreme "A Thought Crushed My Mind" Blindside. If I had to compare them to anything, I would go all the way back to their debut self-titled album. Knowing that the band returned to their homeland of Sweden to record this album, it should be no surprise that it is, in many ways, a return to their roots.

From the beginning, Blindside was never a typical hardcore band. They had a front man screamer who could sing, for one thing (and they were doing that long before Linkin Park, thank you very much). They didn't rely on the easy riffs to get them through a song. They were always looking to do something different. But no matter how out there they went, it was always inspired songwriting with impecable performances. "The Great Depression" does not change that tradition.

The variety on this album is amazing. One of the heaviest songs you will ever hear, "Yamkela", will absolutely rip your face off. I just dare you to listen to this song and resist the urge to jump around the room. I hope I get a chance to see them play this one live soon.

Then there is the aforemention disco-like rhythm of "My Alibi", the frenzied building of "You Must Be Bleeding Under Your Eyelids", the barnburner "Come to Rest", and the more radio friendly "Fell in Love with the Game" and "We Are to Follow".

But don't think of those as the highlights. There are no highlights, my friend. This album, from beginning to end, is a highlight in and of itself. Every single song has worth and deserves its spot on the album. And there is no wussing out going on here. The album clocks in at nearly an hour and you really feel like you're getting your money's worth. These boys don't just play the same catchy chorus three times and move on. Each song is a journey, and I recommend you get to your local record store and take the journey ASAP.

Truly, a different direction has been taken with this album... but, then again, when didn't they? They added violins and cellos, and 3x4 rithms in "A Thought Crushed My Mind"... heck, the hidden song is electronica (now, song #16 on th Re-Release)... a very different change from their self-titled debut. Again, with "Silence" they lessened the screaming and added melodic interventions... a very different direction than "A Thought Crushed My Mind." With "About a Burning Fire" the had their friend sing in "Shekina"... if you tell me that your face didn't twist in a knot when she started the first few notes on that song, truly you expect the unexpected... again, a different direction than "Silence."

And now, with "The Great Depression", they head towards a different direction. Someone posted their thoughts on the new album based on the first two releases... why isn't this objective? 1) Because, if you follow the trajectory of their releases, you'll know that you really can't compare one album to the other and 2) you aren't really in an argumentative position when you have missing information. It's like saying you know someone that you haven't seen in five years. You don't really know how that person has changed or what has happed to create that change.

This Blindside album is just another extraordinary piece of creativity. It might be a bit more pleasing to the radio, true, but who doesn't want their message to get out to the masses? I think, if anything, they should be congratulated for making an album that can reach out to a wider audience (via radio or whatever), not criticized. This album is melodic, powerful, emotional, and moving. It's aggressive and it's subtle. It simply has something for everyone.

I am well aware that the reviews consist on a personal opinion, and to that I have no objection. But there are a few undeniable qualities that need to be pointed out.

Obviously, if you think that every song in this album sounds alike... you must be either deaf or musically challenged, or simply you haven't finished hearing the album. It'd be like telling me that "Yamkela" sounds like "My Alibi" or that "Come to Rest" sounds like "You must be Bleeding under Your Eyelids." Clearly, your judgment in music is misguided.

Aside from the fact that almost every single album ever released has one or two similar songs within the album (one can only make so many variations to a genre), Blindside makes every album sound differently than their last album released. To me, that is maturity. To have the musical wisdom to create and differenciate music and play it with talent. I will say that this album is shows maturity... just like "About A Burning Fire" showed it... just like "Silence" showed it... just like "A Thought Crushed my Mind" showed it. Maturity is not about sounding serious... it's about accepting the challenge to create unconformity.

Garage band? Hardly. Perhaps you haven't been to a concert of theirs, but truly... no garage band there. Rest assured that you will be jumping up and down or bobbing your head as the opening chords of "Yamkela" strike your ears. Don't fool yourself.

It's Blindside... that alone should be the spark that makes you say: "I knew this was going to be good!"

I am no hypocrite, I love Blindside BECAUSE I like their music and message... I don't go stomping on it, to then say: "I love you, Blindside." Don't fool yourself.

First off, if you're comparing this to their last albums... don't. The are a few reviewers that mention the fact that each album is their own independent little world. This is true. Although they all have the Blindside "flavor", they are not to be compared. They are all great in each and every way.

As for me, I always go to the end of the reviews and click "See all ## Customer reviews." Then, I got to "Most Helpful First." You'll see that the most helpful are about looking at the CD objectively... for what it is: not in comparison to any other album (including their own). I bought this album a few days ago. I absolutely love it. I studied music and I can tell you that the album is completely creative in every way... every line of every lyric brings forth though-provoking emotions. Musically, I don't need to tell you: Blinside is Blindside and that means the best, most original music to date. No, they don't sing off-key (I have a trained ear) and they're not trying to give themselves propaganda by mentioning their name in a song... read the lyrics... it's part of the message.

Trylu a work of art... the mix of the songs, their arrangement... this album is flawless.

When I first got this CD, I really hated it. I hated it a lot. After listening to the other CD's so many times, I felt let down. Blindside is always playing with their music, and creating something really new, but I wasn't expecting this.

But when I found myself humming these songs from time to time, I took the CD off the shelf and listened again. I was wrong. The CD is quite genious in it's own sense. Don't compare it to old Blindside, because you probably won't like it.

These tracks are extremely emotional and heartfelt. You can feel Christian's pain when he sings, more so than on the other CD's. Now I love this CD. I love Blindside in general. I can't wait to see what comes next.

"We're All Gonna Die" and "Yemkela" are my two absolute favorites on this CD.

I personally have been with Blindside since back with their self titled CD. I've loved their music every step on the way... I know alot of music, and try to spread the word to my friends and even random people sometimes, and Blindside was a hard one to get across to them. Because, if I were to play maybe, "Superman", then maybe "King of the Closet", and then perhaps "Painting" the listener would be like wtf? So of course, they have changed dramatically between albums, but none the less they still have the skill of making me hit the high's on the emotion scale at every which way you look at it!

This CD was one that i didn't really enjoy at first, but of course it was because i was hoping for something... different. But, knowing how Blindside is an ever changing face in music, i left the cd in my player for a week, that was just to try to get used to it, but when i finally decided I needed to take it out, I couldn't bring myself to! "Great Depression" may be a bit catchy at parts, but to me its a good catchy! Their guitar playing is alot different, almost amateur sounding at times, but still sounds magnificent! And the lyrics, oh my god the lyrics! wonderful! simply wonderful!

Fav track: This is a Heart Attack & Put back the Stars

based on 3 things:
1) album outcome (5) This album was pieced together nicely, all the songs fit together and keep the emotional roller coaster going and going
2) Lyrics (5) I loved the lyrics, always have, Blindsides words without music even are inspiring more than any others!
3) Musical talent (5) They have shown me ONCE AGAIN why I love these guys so much and will probably never stop being a die hard blindside fan!

So, in closing, this is just a review, and this is just my opinion. If you are into the old Blindside, and ONLY the old Blindside (IE, the solid state stuff) then you may not want to get this one. If you are more into the "About a Burning Fire" or "Silence", then this one is a little more up your alley, though way off at the same time! if you are an all around Blindside kinda guy, go for it! I'm pretty sure you will enjoy this one!

"The Great Depression" is a very different album the first time you hear it than, say, the fiftieth. While I knew all of its brilliant moments were there, they were hard to pick out at first. The album seems to suffer from a rushed, poor production job; where songs on earlier albums transitioned smoothly from sung vocals to screaming, to subtle movements or thrashing guitars, these felt unusually disjointed and choppy, especially "heart attack" and "eyelids." My recommendation would be to either A) hear them live, or B) play with your stereo's equalizer. Either way, the term "great depression" is purely figurative here- give this album time to grow on you, because ultimately, you won't be disappointed.
Not every song on this album is a success, but a lot of them are, production aside, and you can tell that the group has done some experimenting with the diversity of their sound. You won't be hitting the skip button for long, since even though there are slow moments, the album is peppered with powerful and distinctive tracks that definitely compensate; even the ones that seem unimpressive musically still have thought-provoking messages to listen for, and this is one of the things that I love the most about Blindside.

In general, "The Great Depression" moves in a new direction, but traces of earlier sounds are still there. "Come to Rest" and "Yamkela" are raw and energetic, and remind me of the first two albums; "Ask Me Now" and "Put Back the Stars" both have a narrative feel like some of the songs off of "Silence," while "City Lights" takes this element to a different level. "We Are to Follow" and "Fell in Love with the Game" are two standout tracks that show a lot of the band's musical growth; both are classically Blindside, but with a new edge and an energy that keeps things afloat.
Probably more interesting than the music, however, is the concept behind the album. In an interview with Relevant magazine, lead singer and songwriter Christian Lindskog said the band's inspiration came when they returned to the US and Sweden after doing mission work in Africa, when they noticed a creepy parallel between the growing discontment and disenchantment with life at the very top and very bottom of the economic spectrum, and this sensitivity shines through in a lot places, if not most clearly on "We're All Going to Die." Although Blindside's attempts to branch out musically are sometimes hit-or-miss, all of their character and spiritual leadership is still very present on this album, so don't let it go overlooked-- a lot of the brilliance "The Great Depression" lies beneath the surface, and this took me a few listens to discover.

Blindside, I've been a fan ever since I heard the song "Replay" years ago. Blindside got me into the hardcore metal scene made me believe that it was more than just screams and crunching guitars. These guys are smart too, the intelligence and blazing skill they bring to every album, no, every SONG they make is astounding. A lot of people will judge this new album "The Great Depression" based on the way THEY thought the band would be going, or should be going. But the thing that being a Blindside listener has taught me is to not expect anything but change. Two of Blindside's favourite bands are Refused and the Beatles, both legendary in their respective fields, and notorious for the way they changed, evolved and experimented artistically as their careers unfolded. "The Great Depression" is a testament to this same spirit. I really like the fact that this album starts with a spoken statement by Christian Lindskog the lead singer/screamer and songwriter of the band, This is the thesis of the album, and all that follows ties back to it. It gives the album the feeling of being one unit, almost a concept album. But don't get me wrong no song sounds the same as another. Blindside is ALWAYS like this, trying new things, going in fresh directions, expect them to blindside you at every turn. In the cookie cutter world of music its sooo nice to find a band that's always willing to evolve and transform from album to album.

Standout Tracks

Heartattack - the first track, starts with driving heart-beats..then comes the heart attack! awsome mood setter, depression and desperation never sounded so good.

Ask Me Now - I LOVE the buildup to the chorus and the chorus itself with it's guitar work (by the very talented Simon Grenehed), breathtaking. This is also where the bass comes into its own, I love the fact that there's more bass in this album than in pretty much any other by Blindside.

We're All Going to Die - This song has grown on me, it is an awesome slow-builder, and by the final chorus the music is fully expanded, incredible.

Yemkela - crunching! chilling! LOUD! This song is so cool, blew me away, Loud is Blindside's heritage, and in Yemkela they show their roots.

Put Back the Stars - Super emotional, super different. Sit back and drown in this one.

Fell in Love with the Game - This is the first song I heard from the album, It suprised the heck out of me. I LOVE that beat! addictive.

City Lights - seductive "james bond" type guitar work with a really interesting bridge.

We are to Follow - A harder song, with creepy voices shouting "WE ARE TO FOLLOW!" in the background, gets really crazy by the end when the bass is unleashed. There's a really cool/weird sound in the background at the end sounds either like marching or a shotgun being loaded, lingers...erie and wicked.

Bleeding under your Eyelids - Epic, I love this song a lot. Christian's singing is AWESOME here, better than i've ever heard it, desperation and sadness. At some parts it almost sounds like he's crying. The bridge is really cool super ethereal.

My Alibi - This is Christian one on one with his Saviour. He writes a lot of songs like this, and I always look forward to them with every album. The music is very sparse, at first I didn't know why. But its to bring out the vocals and leave a space for the dance beat to come in later. Cool song! Marcus (the drummer) is into dance stuff and mixing his own beats, he's done this since "Phatbad 1303" in "A Thought Crushed my Mind". it comes out again in "Where the Sun Never Dies" on "About a Burning Fire"

Come to Rest - hardcore punky guitars, pummeling beats and a guest singer....ahem....screamer. I've never heard a screaming duet before, there's a first time for everything! The guest has a somewhat high voice (Christians is pretty high too) Simon compliments this EXCELLENTLY with a squealy spidery guitar bridge.

This Time - The mood in this song is really laid back, but still haunting. It has a jazzy feel on the verses with the light cymbal work and bass. Then the chorus comes in with the long drawn out "This tiiiiiiiiiiime" That's the best part of the song in my opinion, it stands out and it's really beautiful. Great song.

When I Remember - Unconventional beginning, but then, that's why Blindside is so great. The chorus is something to behold beautiful, and deeply introspective. "So wash my eyes, my clothes, my bones, my soul, my feet, my love I'm not forgotten 'cause I feel sunshine in the rain" I really like the guitars in this and the beat. This is an absolutely gorgeous song.

Other Things to Expect

1. Great, and I mean GREAT songwriting. Some of Christian's best. His songs are poetry, they cut to the core. Even if you hate blindside's music download the lyrics, they are incredible.

2. Post-ending music. There are a few songs that have trails of music at the end, acoustic, instrumental stuff. It's really nice and I've found that it helps the transition between songs going from the more hardcore to one that's softer. The best example of this would have to be at the end of "Come to Rest" a banjo-ey (is that a word?) acoustic instrumental that sets up the ethereal "This Time"

3. If you're a fan of Blindside you know the versatility of Christian's singing. This Album sees it growing even further. He can drop from a blood-curdling scream to a soft lullaby. His voice is definately his instrument and he's just as talented and creative with it as the rest of the band is on their instruments.

Verdict

This is Blindside's most mature, and experimental (on the whole) album. Musically it will draw you into its world, lyrically it will haunt you. The record is an experience, and a long one at that, with 14 tracks and over an hour of listening. I highly recommend this album, it's one of Blindside's best, softer at times, and sometimes just as heavy as anything they've done before. The maturing goes on and I'm excited to see what they have to offer next too! Until then though, GO BUY THIS ALBUM, you won't regret it!